


An Abandoned Dream

by B_Rabbit14



Category: Dream SMP (Fandom), Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Amnesia, Amnesiac Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Angst, Angst and Feels, Confused TommyInnit, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Forgiveness, Ghostbur Is A Good Friend, He's doing his best though guys, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sad Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Soft Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Soul-Searching, Temporary Amnesia, Tired Tommyinnit, Tubbo's trying his best, surprised that's not a tag at this point
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28420863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Rabbit14/pseuds/B_Rabbit14
Summary: Tommy finally found him by the beach. They hadn't been back there in what felt like forever, it seemed like years ago Tommy had found the older male injured and bleeding in the forest."So, you've been here all day," The blonde said to announce his presence but the other didn't seem to notice or bother signaling he did. Tommy took a careful step forward but stopped a few feet away from the seated male. "Everyone's been worried,""They shouldn't be," Dream said softly. Tommy frowned. He took notice the other's mask was resting on the ground to his left and felt his confusion rise."Why not?" He decided to humor the other. Dream sighed heavily and looked up to the sky causing his hood to pool around his shoulders."Am I a bad person, Tommy?" The teen's heart stopped, Dream went on. "Did I really do all those bad things?" His head lowered once more and his shoulders shook slightly."How bad did I hurt you?" He whispered.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Darryl Noveschosch, Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Clay | Dream & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Wilbur Soot, Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF) & Everyone, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 226
Kudos: 1230





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I thought I'd try out. It might not line up with what most of you know about the SMP's plotline so far but I'm still slightly new I guess.
> 
> My friends encouraged me to do this and helped a lot so I went for it. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! ~

Tommy hated being alone.

He hated it more than anything. So, it made sense when they used it against him.

Nothing bothered him more than the ringing in his ears the silence brought. Not to mention the loneliness that came with it. That was what hurt him the most.

He'd have given nearly anything to go back home.  _ Nearly,  _ being a keyword, anything. But he would have never wanted the company of the likes of  _ him. _

* * *

Tommy huddled near his fire, poking at it with a stick while wearing a somber expression. The day had been somewhat successful. He'd managed to scrounge up enough food for a few days as well as gather more supplies. It had been a while since he'd taken the time to sit down and relax as he opted to keep himself busy should he be left alone with his thoughts. But today was a good enough day, and he was merely tired enough to fall asleep without any complications.

Sleep had been ridiculously hard to come by the past few days, so it wasn't a surprise Tommy didn't make it back inside the tent before he slumped over and fell into a fitful slumber.

His dreams were thankfully void of his fears and mistakes, but his shallow doze is broken from the sudden snap of a twig followed by a soft curse. Tommy shot into a sitting position with a startled mumble but quickly quieted himself and peeked over the log he'd been laying against. His wide eyes scanned the dark area, but he didn't see anything, nor did another sound ring out.

Tommy swallowed thickly and slowly crawled back to his tent to grab a weapon. Millions of thoughts buzzed in his skull, but one stood out. 

_ He was not afraid. _

He'd done scarier things than this. He'd gone through the Nether for heaven's sake and survived too! This shouldn't be a problem.

But all those times he'd hadn't been alone. Someone was always with him. To help him, fight with him, or were just there for the hell of it. This time though, he'd be walking into danger by himself. That was what wiggled at him in the back of his mind.

Tommy set his jaw and shoved his thoughts away to deal with on a later date, opting to focus on the problem at hand. He held his sword in front of him as he made his way closer to the treeline. No noises came from the forest, but Tommy would preferably not take any chances and moved even closer towards the area he heard the sound emit from.

Something shuffled, and a short gasp followed, causing Tommy to flinch at the noise but pushed onward. He faintly wondered just what the creature would be. He highly doubted it would be a person considering it had been months since anyone had even thought about coming to see him. Tommy couldn't find it in himself to blame them, though.

A few more steps closer, and Tommy could barely pick up on the sound of ragged breathing. He frowned at how painfilled they sounded as he took another step forward. The sound grew louder as he drew ever nearer.

Then he smelt it; the heavy irony scent brought by nothing good. His fear spiked, and a sick feeling sunk into his gut, nearly keeping him rooted in place. Someone was injured that much was obvious, and he couldn't dismiss the worry accumulating in his chest. So, with great effort, Tommy took another cautious step and peered around a tree.

His breath immediately caught in his throat, and his eyes blew wide in shock. The figure shifted slightly and let out a pained groan, and Tommy felt weak in the knees at the small puddle of blood pooling near the figure's head and soaking through the hood that still covered it. Tommy weakly pushed himself off the tree he had leaned against and tried to get closer again, nearly tripping over the tree's roots. He steadied himself, but his feet found purchase on the ground rather loudly and alerted the person of his presence.

"Who's there?"

Tommy's blood ran cold as the voice pierced the suffocating silence. A sudden irrational fear overtook his mind. He couldn't breathe. He shook his head slightly and stumbled backward, causing his back to hit the tree behind him while he stared wide-eyed at the figure that he now wanted nothing to do with.

"Show yourself," The voice commanded, but something in its tone caused Tommy to halt once again. The voice sounded...  _ afraid _ ...? That couldn't be right. Maybe it had been a trick of the light, and Tommy's mind was playing tricks on him. It wasn't much of an illogical conclusion considering he was running on very little sleep as well as the continuing stress he shouldered daily. Tommy took a deep breath to stop himself from spiraling further and held onto his weapon tighter. If the worse came to pass, then he'd just fight his way out. He was not a coward, never was and never will be. 

This was his chance to prove that, to whom he didn't know nor cared to.

Tommy drew another steadying breath and stepped away from the tree once more. He forced himself to look ahead and stare at the down person in front of him who had yet to try anything, but the boy was not willing to take any chances.

Tommy's quickened breath went unnoticed as he took in the familiar green jacket and smiling mask looking back at him. It seemed he'd been right in his assumptions, though he wasn't sure if that was a good thing. He took another step forward and stared down at the hooded figure with narrowed eyes before sighing and moving to take off his chest plate.

The other tilted his head in what could only be confusion, but the motion was lost to Tommy, who was bent down to remove his boots and armored trousers. He threw down his armor and held his sword for a moment before sighing heavily and throwing it down as well onto the pile of his other things. The other male stared at the heap in silence. He shifted to wrap an arm around his middle while Tommy kept his gaze downward and waited for the armor to be picked up.

"If we could just get this over with, I'd rather get some rest while I can," Tommy muttered and ran through his grimy hair, slightly wincing at the feel of it. Tomorrow he'd have to bathe. When there was no responding movement to his words, Tommy glanced up with a deep frown. "Is something wrong?" He asked slowly, then sighed again before turning away. "It's not enough, is it?"

"Who are you?" The other interrupted suddenly, causing Tommy to stop retreating and slowly turn around with confusion written all over his expression.

"What do you mean by that?" Tommy asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "If this a joke, it's not very funny, Dream," The man's barely seen mouth was pressed into a thin line as he stared silently at the blonde.

"Do you know me?" He asked in what Tommy hardly noticed to be genuine confusion. "Do I know you?" Dream asked in a quiet voice that Tommy had never heard the older use in all the time he'd known him.

"What's wrong with you?" Tommy asked with wide eyes that raked over the seated male's form. It was then he remembered the blood he'd seen and smelt a few moments prior, and understanding slowly dawned on him. Blue eyes zeroed in on the noticeably dark spot staining the left side of Dream's hood.

"Who are you?" He asked again, and Tommy swallowed thickly, racking his brain fervently to think of how he should proceed.

"You've hit your head," It was more of a statement than a question, but Dream frowned slightly and raised his head to pat gently around his skull. He came in contact with the area blood seeped through his clothes and winced considerably, causing Tommy to do the same in sympathy.

"I guess I did," Dream agreed slowly, and Tommy's frown deepened. It was concerning that the older one was injured this badly. Tommy wondered what happened but decided not to ask, figuring it would be useless if Dream didn't remember. He stored the question away for later once this was taken care of. Only another question rose in Tommy's mind, just how was he supposed to take care of this.

"What do you remember...?" Tommy asked, hoping it wasn't the wrong thing to ask. The older male looked down at the disturbed soil beneath him in silence for a moment.

"I..." He whispered, and Tommy slowly moved forward. When the other didn't react, he lowered himself onto the ground and sat in front of the injured man. "I can't remember anything," He said in horror, and Tommy felt his gut drop as well just by hearing the way Dream's voice shook with barely contained emotion. It was strange, so strange to see the usually well-composed and merciless man suddenly show sun vulnerability. Tommy almost wanted to believe he was dreaming.

"I can't remember anything at all," He repeated with his hands on both sides of his head. Tommy was sure that his eyes were blown wide behind the dirt-streaked mask.

Tommy was at a loss of what to do. Part of him wanted to take advantage of this moment and take back all he'd lost to this man. But deep down, he knew that was wrong, selfish of him.

_ "You're being selfish, Tommy. Why can't you see that?" _

He wouldn't be selfish this time. Dream had done so many things to not only Tommy but the others as well. Tommy wasn't sure he could forgive him for those things. He supposed he didn't have to forgive him, not yet, at least. Though, he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to.

"It's okay," Tommy said in a thick voice and placed a hand on Dream's shoulder. Tommys' blue eyes stared at the center of the mask, trying his best to stop his eyes from dropping down and looking away. "You're hurt," He stated again and stood before turning to collect his armor once more. Once he had secured it on his person once more, he turned back to face Dream. The man was staring at him in silence. His gaze felt as piercing as it always did but in a different way. "We can head back to my place and get you patched up,"

Tommy extended a hand to Dream, who stared at it warily if the way his lips pursed slightly.

"Who are you?" Dream asked again, and Tommy kicked himself for forgetting that to the other, he was a stranger now.

"Name's Tommy," He answered as Dream took his hand and helped the other up. Dream grunted softly and wrapped his free arm around his middle again once he was steady on his feet.

"Did I..." Dream hesitated slightly and looked gestured vaguely at Tommy, causing the younger to raise an eyebrow in silent question. "Am I supposed to know you?" He asked with a frown still present.

Tommy briefly wondered what he could possibly say to answer that question. It seemed wrong to blame this person for his misfortunes, given that he couldn't remember being the cause of any of them. But not telling the truth also felt wrong. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. If he so desired, he could bend Dream's image into any shape he liked. At this point, anything was possible.

"I guess you could say that," Tommy replied with a small smile and tugged the tall male through the trees and back to the seaside.

"Were we friends?"

Tommy nearly stopped walking but managed just barely to keep his pace steady, and his head held high. He bit his lip and breathed in deeply through his nose, thankful Dream couldn't see his face.

"Yeah, I'd like to think we were."

With this new Dream, he could even possibly go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this isn't my first story, it's still the first one for this type of fandom and I'm a bit nervous of how I did. Please leave a comment if you liked it, I worked very hard and feedback is very helpful and encouraging. If you liked it, please share!
> 
> I would like to thank my wonderful friend EatTheMoon for beta reading and editing as well as my sister. Check them out please and thanks for reading!


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honey, you've got a big storm coming.
> 
> Also, before we start. i'd like to put a disclaimer that I only have the basic knowledge of what goes down in the SMP's plotline aside from major events, like the election, the festival, and Tommy's exile. So please, try not to get too annoyed when something that you know should be addressed, isn't. And if it's so glaringly canon divergent than we'll all collectively use the excuse of this being an AU. i got excited and couldn't wait until I watched over a hundred hours of streams. I'll get around to it eventually. XD
> 
> Hope ya'll enjoy!

His name was Dream, at least, that's what Tommy told him. 

The young man had given no sign that he'd been lying to him.

So he'd decided to believe Tommy.

* * *

The two males walked back to Tommy's campsite in relatively comfortable silence. Tommy had just continued to pull Dream along through the foliage and eventually onto the beach once they left the treeline. Dream looked around curiously as Tommy led him to a small tent. The inside of the tent held the bare minimum needed for a place to be livable; it consisted of a bed, a small table with tools hanging on the sides of it, as well as a few chests placed around.

Tommy ushered him to sit on the bed while he began to rummage through a nearby chest, all while mumbling under his breath. The younger boy turned back with a few bandages in his hands and stopped in front of the seated man.

"You'll need to take off your hood so I can see the damage," Tommy told him, causing Dream to hesitate, only momentarily, before obeying and pushing the cloth back, revealing dirty blond locks matted with dirt and blood. Tommy nodded gratefully and moved to the left of Dream's head, where most of the blood was clotted in his hair. The area in question was just above the thick black strap that secured the white mask Dream could always be seen wearing upon his face.

The blonde boy reached out to gently move the strap to assess the wound, but just as his fingers came in contact with the thick leather band, Dream flinched harshly and grabbed Tommy's wrist in an iron-clad grip. The boy gasped in surprise as well as fear and shot a bewildered look in Dream's direction only to see the other staring at him as well. His body was shaking, and his mouth was slightly parted as he panted quietly.

Dream seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly pulled his hand away as if Tommy's flesh had burned his hand. Tommy stared at him in startled confusion for a moment before the tension bled from his body, and he sighed deeply. Dream looked away as if ashamed, and Tommy frowned slightly. What was so important about the mask? He wondered if George or Sapnap had ever seen Dream's face beneath it as he knew the three of them were close... or had been at least. Tommy shook his head and brought himself back to the present.

"I need to bandage that up," Tommy portended but didn't move despite his words. Dream kept his head down and showed no sign that he'd heard Tommy. The younger one tried to think of what to do next. He found himself questioning the mask's importance. Whatever attachment Dream had to it before his injury had seemed to follow after losing his memories. So it had to be very important.

"I promise not to look," He sighed eventually, and Dream perked up at his words peeking at him over his shoulder, and Tommy had to suppress a smile as he imagined the hopeful expression the other must be wearing. It was quite a strange thought to think of Dream in such a way. "I'll stand behind you the entire time," He added, which seemed to satisfy Dream enough to nod once and turn completely, so his back faced Tommy, who had moved to stand in front of the bed once more. Tommy reached for the buckle but hesitated slightly. Something about this didn't feel right.

Dream seemed to sense the unease and reached behind his head to unclasp the buckle. It let out a soft click, and he allowed the mask to slip off of his face. He held it in his lap while playing with the straps as Tommy slowly began to dab at the worst of the blood. He didn't have much to work with as far as medical supplies, but the wound wasn't deep enough to be alarming. As long as it got cleaned and covered, it should heal up nicely enough. Tommy leaned over, keeping his eyes from wandering as he reached over for the small bucket of water he'd left earlier that day near his table.

After dipping the cloth into the water and cleaning as much blood from the wound as he could, Tommy began to slowly wrap the bandages around Dream's head. The surrounding air was so thick with apprehension one could easily slice through it with a knife. Tommy opened his mouth various times through the short procedure, but words failed him every time he thought to speak.

"What did you call me earlier?" Tommy nearly jumped a foot in the air at Dream's sudden question. It took the boy a few moments to collect himself and catch his breath so he could form an answer.

"Dream?" Tommy questioned with a raised brow.

"Yeah, that."

"Oh," Tommy mumbled and tied off the bandage. He let his hands fall to his sides and stared at the back of the other's head. The circumstances felt like they were finally settling into his mind making it feel all the more real. "That's your name," Tommy imparted to the other while he began to wipe at the worst marks on his mask. Dream made a questioning noise but didn't turn his head.

"Really?" He asked in blatant skepticism, but there was a lighter note to his words hinting at an amused smile. "What kind of name is that?" Tommy chuckled at that and moved back to the chest to put the leftover cloth away. He closed the box's lid and stared at its surface while Dream placed his mask on again.

"That's something I'd like to know as well," Tommy chuckled and finally turned when Dream hummed quietly. He hadn't pulled his hood back up, allowing his wild hair to curl around the edges of the circular mask. "It isn't the strangest name I've heard, so I never bothered to question it much," He shrugged and ended his sentence with a large yawn. It suddenly dawned on him how late it was, and all the confusion began to catch up to him.

"You can take the bed," Tommy began, and Dream looked ready to protest, but Tommy cut him off, wanting to just go to sleep as fast as possible. "You're injured and need rest," He pointed out bluntly and eyed Dream's arm that had curled around his middle once more. There wasn't any blood, but Tommy would have to look at it tomorrow just in case. "I was already falling asleep outside anyways, so it isn't that big of a big deal," He continued when Dream still looked uneasy about the suggestion. The older nodded mutely and looked down at the cot he sat upon.

Tommy moved toward the tent's entrance without another word and plopped onto a log with a heavy sigh. He stared into the crackling fire before reaching over and throwing more wood into it, hoping it would last well into the night.

Despite his earlier claims about needing rest, Tommy found himself unable to sleep. It was to be expected in a way. The man he feared and hated to some degree had shown up out of nowhere with amnesia presenting Tommy the opportunity to not only go back home to L'manberg but to get back at Dream for all he'd done and caused. To say his mind was reeling was the understatement of the century.

The blonde sighed heavily and pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes. A quiet groan emitting from the back of his throat. He stared up at the starry sky with lidded eyes and tried to will himself to fall asleep. He wasn't prepared to deal with the peculiar situation right now and wasn't sure if he ever would be.

Tommy forced himself to focus on the sound of the crackling fire and the soft sounds of nature, which helped him finally be able to fall asleep.

* * *

Tommy awoke to the sound of a sheep's soft call and blearily opened his eyes. He caught sight of dyed blue wool and raised a questioning eyebrow before pushing himself up into a sitting position. Tommy rubbed his eyes with a hand while awareness began to bleed into his mind, the longer the boy was awake. He moved his gaze from the sheep, looking in front of himself but jolted with a short scream when he was met with the sight of a pale face that was only inches from his own.

"The Green Man is in your house," It told the boy. Tommy flopped backward onto the log behind him and glared at the sky. "Tommy, please. Calm yourself," The echoey voice said in a light tone as if he hadn't been hovering over the sleeping boy moments before.

"Ghostbur, I'm going to kill you," Tommy grumbled with no real bite in his tone, but his annoyance was apparent.

"That's quite impossible as I am already dead," The transparent figure folded his legs while hovering a few inches off the ground. Tommy didn't bother to move and continued to gaze tiredly at the sky. Ghostbur's head blurred the sight of the blue sky as he worriedly stared down at the living male. "The Green Man is here," he stated once again, and Tommy heaved another deep sigh as the previous night's events were brought back to mind once more. "Isn't that worrisome?" The apparition asked and tilted his head, causing his curly hair to cover an eye. Tommy's frown deepened, and he covered his eyes with his arm blocking out his sight.

"Something happened last night, Ghostbur," Tommy told the ghost quietly. The other hummed in response and arranged himself to float above the log instead of the boy's face. He waited for Tommy to answer and reached over to gently pat his sheep's head, earning a small appreciative baah in return from the animal. He glanced back at Tommy when the other male didn't move to speak and frowned slightly in worry.

"What happened, Tommy?"

"He's like you now," Tommy finally said quietly, and the ghost blinked in surprise. He turned to look behind him at the tent that housed the supposed bad man.

"He's dead?" Ghostbur exhorted. Tommy sighed and heaved himself up to look at his friend with a pinched expression. Ghostbur didn't quite like the face Tommy was making, and his worry rose slightly for the loud boy.

"No, he's not dead. He just-" Tommy pulled at his hair in either annoyance or anger the dead man didn't know. "He doesn't remember," He whispered, and Ghostbur's eyes widened considerably.

"Doesn't remember what, Tommy?" He asked softly and lowered himself a bit to rest his cold hands on the boy's shoulders, hoping to ground him somewhat.

"He doesn't remember anything," Tommy shook his head with a weak chuckle. "I think he got injured from something, and I don't think he's lying either. I'm not sure what could have possibly happened to him... I mean, this  _ the  _ Dream we're talking about here! He wouldn't have gotten injured from just anything so easily!" Tommy exclaimed.

"I think you're putting him on too high of a pedestal,"

"That isn't the point, though!" He cried and waved his hand in the direction of the tent with a wild gleam to his eyes. He leaned in closer to the ghost and smiled, causing Ghostbur to raise a brow and frown in return at his sudden change in attitude. "Do you know what this means, Ghostbur?" He asked quietly, and the specter shook his head slowly as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I can go home," Tommy laughed.

"Nothing is stopping me, and I can even get him to ensure that!"

"Tommy, I don't think this is such a good idea,"

"They'll have to listen to me now, with Dream like this we- I could do anything-"

"Tommy, are you hearing yourself?" Ghostbur interrupted quietly, causing the teen to pause in his rambling to really look at the ghost. The dead man was staring at him with such grief in his eyes. Tommy didn't understand why he looked at him in such a way. Ghostbur sighed and turned to look at the tent behind him. From where he sat, he could just barely see the outline of the man's body, who continued to sleep soundly inside.

"Wha-What do you mean?" Tommy stammered.

"Let me ask you something, Tommy," He turned to face the boy again with a stern expression that caught Tommy off guard. The ghost sighed heavily and averted his eyes to stare out at the seaside. The waves lapping at the shore was the only noise that filled up the silence that had settled uncomfortably between them.

"If that'd been me, would you have done the same?"

"Wha-"

"Listen to me, Tommy. If that'd been me, would you be having these same thoughts?" The apparition didn't take his eyes off of the water, but his tone had Tommy staring at him with full attention. The blue sheep grunted softly and bumped its head against Tommy's thigh, but the boy paid it no mind, his blue eyes boring into the transparent figure of the man he'd once called his brother. "What if it'd been Tubbo? Or-or Fundy even?" The deceased male's curls bounced under his beanie as he turned to finally look the younger. His eyes held nothing but anguish and disappointment. It had Tommy swallowing thickly around the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. "Would you have taken advantage of them like this too?" His voice was gentle and soft, a complete opposite of his current expression.

"Wilbur, you don't know what he's done to me-to-to  _ us _ ," Tommy gestured to the other, his eyes unknowingly misting over. The ghost didn't bother pointing out Tommy's usage of his old name. He stared at the living teen with sad eyes.

"If what you're saying is true, then that person is as good as dead now," The man said quietly, and Tommy's eyes widened in response to his sudden statement. Ghostbur pointed at the tent, still keeping his eyes locked with Tommy's. "The man sleeping in there may share the face and name of the same man that has hurt time and time again, but he is not the same person. He doesn't remember any of his actions or choices. He wasn't the one who made them," He trailed off and waited for Tommy to respond, but the blonde seemed momentarily incapable of speech. His eyes were bright with confusion and hurt mixing with his unshed tears.

"I'm not here to tell you what you should or shouldn't do, Tommy," The ghost floated upward more and unfolded his legs to allow them to dangle above the sand. "In the end, the final decision is up to you. I just want you to think before you rush into things because if what I can remember is correct, you have a bad habit of making rash decisions," He chuckled weakly and drifted near the tent. Tommy watched numbly as the ghost phased his head into the side of the small structure to say something to Dream inside. He jumped at the sudden shout that followed after and bolted over to his makeshift house, his mind racing all the while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The Green Man is in your house, Tommy," Probably my favorite thing about this fic so far lol
> 
> I put a lot of thought into this chapter and I hope you guys enjoyed that. I work really hard to write and produce these stories and chapters so please, take a moment and drop a comment telling me what you thought about it, if you have any theories or ideas of where this is going or just to tell me you enjoyed the chapter. It won't take too much of your time and it encourages me as well as letting me know that people truly want this to continue.
> 
> I would also love to give a shout out to my wonderful friend for editing this chapter. Please check out EatTheMoon, they are wonderful and amazing and deserve some love. They've made a lot of original works that you should definitely check out!
> 
> Sorry for dragging this out so long but seriously, thanks for reading and I'll see ya'll next chapter! :)


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked hard.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Also bug thanks to my editor MoonyEater

Tubbo sighed heavily. His head fell forward with a loud thud against the oakwood desk. A few papers fluttered slightly from his sudden movements, but he paid them no mind.

The young president gazed longingly at the window that displayed the morning's first lights. It wasn't as beautiful as a sunset, in his opinion. He'd seen hundreds in his short life, and so, Tubbo thought his verdict was a valid one. He closed his eyes before lifting his head from the wood and rubbing his throbbing eyes.

"Rough night?" A voice sounded from the doorway. Tubbo's hazy blue eyes rested upon Fundy's form as the fox leaned against the door's frame. Tubbo nodded and covered his mouth as a large yawn escaped it. He leaned back to stretch and winced when his back cracked at the movement.

"What are you doing here?" Tubbo tilted his head as he looked back to the older male. Fundy looked to the ground almost as if he was ashamed, causing the brunette to frown in confusion.

"What, I can't come and check on you?" The man defended, and Tubbo shook his head quickly.

"No, that's not it," He retorted and stood from his chair. "I haven't seen you in a while," Tubbo decided to direct the conversation elsewhere.

"I've been busy."

"I'm sure," Tubbo nodded and approached Fundy. He passed him and moved into the hallway. Fundy followed a few paces behind him. "Things have been quite hectic lately," Fundy let out a short burst of laughter, causing the younger to smile softly.

"You can say that again."

Silence befell upon them as they kept a steady pace through the halls, but Tubbo could sense Fundy's apprehension and anxiety. He stopped and faced the fox with a worried frown and creased forehead. Fundy slowed to a stop wearing a guarded expression adding to Tubbo's worry.

"Did you want to tell me something?" 

Fundy hesitated, his tail twitching behind him, before steeling himself and meeting Tubbo's eyes fully. Tubbo stared back with a small frown, and Fundy took that moment to really look at the young boy. It saddened him to no end once he realized why it felt wrong to look at Tubbo. The boy's eyes, which were usually bright baby blue, had dulled to a stormy gray decorated with heavy bags beneath his eyes formed over many sleepless nights. His eyes held a deep and buried sorrow that Fundy knew the wars had caused. Tubbo's playful and fun attitude had been replaced by a thick air of grim exhaustion that no sixteen-year-old should have surrounding them.

This wasn't the Tubbo that Fundy knew. This wasn't the small boy who'd followed Tommy everywhere the other had gone. This wasn't the boy who had proved to be just as meddlesome and mischievous as any other child his age but had so easily been able to evade punishment when he formed his innocent mask.

This was a young teenager that held the burden of an entire nation upon his shoulders. And along with the mistakes of its people. Deep down inside, Fundy blamed himself for that. He was supposed to have looked out for Tubbo and Tommy as well. It's what his father would've wanted.

But he'd failed.

Fundy realized Tubbo had begun to squirm under his gaze and realized he'd yet to reply.

"Are you okay?" He finally brought himself to ask. Tubbo blinked his wide eyes in confusion as if he hadn't expected that to be the fox's question.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm just a bit worried about you, is all, and I-"

"Fundy," Tubbo interrupted bluntly, and the older's mouth shut with an audible click. Tubbo realized his tone was harsher than he meant it to be, and he sighed heavily before pasting a smile on his face to show he wasn't angry with the other. "I appreciate the concern, but how I feel isn't what's important right now,"

"Yes, it is," Fundy tried to argue, but Tubbo raised a hand, and he fell silent.

"We have more pressing matters on our hands," Fundy crossed his arms over his chest and frowned deeply.

"Like what?" He asked, and Tubbo shook his head slightly before gesturing to the halls around him with his arms.

"Like running this damn country," Tubbo stated. "That much should be obvious to you, Fundy," The younger's frown deepened, and he looked the other up and down with a critical stare. "Are you sure _you're_ alright?" Fundy nodded slowly and looked away.

"I'm fine," Tubbo didn't look pleased but nodded all the same, and they began to walk once more. After Fundy realized Tubbo was heading towards the building's entrance, his confusion rose. "You're not going to rest a bit?" Tubbo glanced at him over his shoulder as they approached the door.

"No, I have something I want to do first," Tubbo reached for the knob and opened it without a problem. He stepped out into the morning's cool air. Fundy continued to follow him until they reached the main wooden pathway. Tubbo paused and faced the older male again. "Is there something else you need?" He asked in a more curious than annoyed tone. Fundy was looking past him, his brown eyes fixed on the walls that were still being torn down. Tubbo followed his gaze as he waited for the fox to respond. "Fundy?" He asked, hoping it would prompt the other to speak up.

"Tubbo," He began, and the teen hummed softly in acknowledgment. "Has he come to you at all, lately?" Tubbo shot a confused look at Fundy, but the other's eyes were still looking blankly at the walls. It took a moment before Tubbo's furrowed brow smoothed out, and his eyebrows rose behind his bangs as understanding filled his expression. The young president looked back to the wall as well with a small shake of his head.

"No, he hasn't," Tubbo ran a hand through his hair. "I'm a bit concerned about what should entail for us... if I'm being honest," Fundy nodded with a blank expression. "Do you know something, Fundy?" Tubbo asked carefully and turned to face the fox. Fundy closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose before opening them again and side-eyed the shorter.

"No," He finally said. "I'm just concerned, is all. We both know what that psycho is capable of, after all," He added when Tubbo seemed unsatisfied with his answer. The young man nodded silently and walked further down the pathway. "What do I say when someone comes looking for you?" He called to the boy's retreating form.

"They'll live without me for a bit," Tubbo waved a hand over his shoulder without turning around. Fundy laughed, but his smile fell as he watched the younger continue down the path.

* * *

Dream wasn't sure what to make of Ghostbur. Tommy had told him he was an old friend of sorts but didn't delve deeper into the subject, and Dream hadn't bothered asking. The spirit was very kind and had even told him he suffered from a sort of memory loss as well. Dream did his best to take it all in stride despite wanting to question nearly everything.

He could tell Tommy was beginning to get overwhelmed sometime in the early afternoon, so he tried his best to dial back on asking so many things. Tommy answered quite a few of his questions as best as he could, and in return, Dream tried his best to piece the information Tommy gave him together.

It was easier said than done. Ghostbur was very encouraging during it, and was always quick to reassure him when he became frustrated with himself and often suggested they take breaks.

Dream sighed heavily and held his head in his hands. He felt a cool mass press against his back and knew it was Ghostbur once again.

"I just don't understand how this could've happened to you in the first place," Tommy ranted once more. According to the younger male, he was quite a formidable opponent, which is why finding him injured was such a shock. "You're a fucking monster, man. Just what the hell were you up against?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Dream muttered sourly and closed his eyes tightly as he felt the beginnings of a migraine forming. He hated the empty feeling in his head. It could have been easy to ignore. But when he tried to think about it, the gaping hole felt larger than before. "You seem to keep forgetting about the whole memory loss bit," He remarked and clenched the fabric of his hood tightly.

"I haven't forgotten... It's just mind-boggling to think about," Tommy huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Ghostbur glanced between the two of them with a worried frown. He looked to the sky and noticed the sun was at its highest and got an idea.

"Why don't we take a break," He suggested again.

"We just had one not even an hour ago," Dream protested as he sat up straighter and looked in the floating man's direction. Tommy nodded in agreement and opened his mouth to interject as well, but Ghostbur spoke over him.

"It's well past lunchtime, is it not?" Both living males shared a look. Tommy nodded slowly, and the ghost shot him an approving smile. Dream looked between the two before sighing heavily again, catching the ghost's attention once more. "Tommy, why don't you see what we have to eat?" The brunette prompted, and Tommy nodded before standing and walking back into the tent behind them. Ghostbur turned his attention back to the other living male, who was now frowning at the sand.

"I hate this," The man grumbled, and Ghostbur nodded sagely even though the other wasn't looking in his direction. Dream lifted his head and frowned up at the hovering male.

"I'm sure you do," The deceased male drifted closer to Dream's face causing the other to instinctively lean back. "And it's quite understandable that you're angry about all this," He went on to say and leaned back as if he was seated in an invisible chair. Behind the mask, Dream's brow was furrowed as he stared at the transparent male before him.

"Don't you feel the same way, though?"

Wilbur shrugged in response and straightened his posture to be floating in a standing position an inch or two off the ground.

"Not really," Came the ghost's easy reply, and Dream tilted his head as his confusion grew. Ghostbur chuckled at the innocent expression and waved for Dream to follow him down the slope near the water's edge. Dream complied and walked behind the floating man waiting for him to explain his previous answer. The masked man stared blankly at the horizon as the silence continued to stretch on between them.

"What _do_ you remember?" He asked, hoping it would prompt the other to speak again. The fallen soldier sighed heavily and pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them close. He almost looked like a child with the way he folded in on himself, and it made Dream wonder even more about what he couldn't remember about this man.

"Not enough, apparently," He chuckled weakly and shook his head. Dream frowned and slowly sat down upon the sand, relishing the grounding feeling of the scratchy grains beneath him.

"But you remember some things, don't you?" Dream asked softly as if afraid to push the other further should he break. It felt so surreal to Ghostbur, and he briefly wondered what would be safe to say.

"I do," He finally said and glanced down at the other. Dream's gaze was still fixed on the water that stretched out in front of them. "Though from what I have gathered, it seems I only remember things that made me happy before I died," Dream hummed questioningly, but his gaze didn't move from the sea.

"What does that say about me then?" Ghostbur was startled at the sudden question, and his eyes snapped to the man seated next to him. Dream still had yet to meet his gaze but had situated his legs into a crisscrossed position with his hands tucked in his lap. It was during this moment that the dead man realized how much emotion one's eyes hold. It was nearly impossible to tell just what expression Dream was making with his mask on. His tone was blank, cold, and heart-breaking even but his posture and the way his mouth was pressed into a thin line made it seem as if he was merely overly serious in place of emotion in any way.

"What do you mean?"

"Were all my memories bad ones...?" He asked in the strange, vulnerable tone he'd used when Tommy had first found him. The sound itself could've sent Ghostbur into shock if he'd still been alive. He'd seen this man speak with a tone of ice on multiple occasions after his return as a ghost and would have never guessed he could make such a sound.

"Dream..." Ghostbur called out to the other, and Dream's head turned to look in his direction. He could nearly feel the other's hidden eyes boring into his head from beneath the white covering, stripping him bare as if he were nothing but a bug underneath a microscope. Despite this, Ghostbur wouldn't look away. Deep inside him, an age-old instinct called for him to comfort the younger.

"Why can't I remember?" Dream pleaded to him, or whatever deity above Ghosbur had no clue. He lowered himself to float a few inches away from where the hooded male sat on the sand and placed both hands on his shoulders. Dream relished the cold sensation and allowed it to ground him while his thoughts and questions threatened to tear his mind apart.

"I'm sure our situations are completely different," The brunette quickly reassured and sternly held his gaze to stare at the unblinking ones before him. "You're still alive, are you not?" Dream looked down at his torso as if to check for himself, causing a chuckle to flow from the apparition's lips.

"I'm pretty sure," Dream answered with a small scowl, and Ghostbur smiled widely in return.

"I lost my memories because I died," He explained, and Dream nodded slowly but didn't look to be catching on right away, so Ghostbur continued. "You lost yours due to an injury, meaning that what you do and don't remember isn't because of how they made you feel but because your brain has locked them away," Dream looked down. His scowl had softened to a confused frown.

"Why, though?" The younger man asked, and the ghost shrugged as he released his hold on the living human. He twisted his body into a sitting position again, floating just high enough to be at Dream's eye level.

"You'll figure it out eventually," Ghostbur assured with a small wave of his hand. Dream scoffed under his breath, but a smile was present on his lips, so the dead man considered this round victorious.

"Why do I get the feeling you used to be the dad friend?" The young man snarked and crossed his hands over his chest. The floating brunette barked out a surprised laugh and turned away from the green-clad male with a wide smile.

"How am I supposed to know?" He retorted, and Dream shook his head in response. "Why don't we see what Tommy's managed to scrounge up for lunch? I'm sure if I still had a working stomach, it'd be howling louder than a ghast right about now," The ghost's eyes scanned the campsite as they got closer. His light smile slipped into a confused frown when he finally spotted Tommy, not in the tent as he'd expected but walking back to the tent along the path that led to the Nether Portal.

Tommy's jaw was set, and his blue eyes were lit with barely contained emotion. His posture was rigid as he walked back toward them. Ghostbur couldn't stop the worry from coiling deeper within his non-existent stomach.

"Who's that?" Dream asked softly, and Ghostbur's eyes drifted to the second person who walked along with Tommy. Brown eyes widened in surprise and confusion as he took in the sight of the short brunette teen, clad in a suit with an emerald green tie. Tommy approached them close enough to be within speaking range, and Ghostbur barely noticed Dream unconsciously moving closer to him as the new person neared.

"Wilbur," The young president greeted with a curt nod, to which the ghost returned.

"Tubbo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fundy kinda sus, 'nuff said.
> 
> See ya'll next chapter!


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm proud to say that I'm learning a lot and getting the hang of following the train wreck of a plotline for this shit. And since I'm getting familiar with more of the characters you can expect more of them to appear as the story goes on!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter! ~

Tommy sifted through the food he had stashed away the day before, all while mumbling to himself. He was frustrated. What he was frustrated with was hard to say. He honestly was not too keen on Dream recovering his memories if he was being honest, but that was more for the safety of himself rather than being selfish. Well, that's what he told himself anyway.

But selfish desires aside, Tommy wished to know what exactly happened. It made his head hurt merely trying to think about all the possible ways Dream could have gotten injured in such a way. His head hurt because, well, there just weren't many things he could come up with that could do such a thing.

The young blonde grunted as he slammed the chest's lid shut with more force than necessary. He stood up with his arms full of bread and dried meat. As much as he wanted answers, Tommy knew he wouldn't be getting any anytime soon. He cursed himself for not being a patient person. But then again, he'd never been a patient person, to begin with.

Tommy exited the tent and opened his mouth to call for the others but stopped when he noticed them staring at each other while in the midst of what looked to be quite the conversation of importance. Tommy could barely catch a few words but quickly looked away. He felt as if he was intruding on something private. The blonde teen heaved a heavy sigh, releasing his arms' load onto a large stone nearby. He dusted off his hands while shooting the pair a glance. He turned away, deciding a walk wouldn't be such a bad thing at the moment.

Tommy kept his eyes trained on the upturned dirt that smoothed out where his feet pressed into it. The young man forced his mind to become calm and empty as he knew the moment he went back, his anger and frustrations would overtake his mind once again. Tommy wished to relish in this peaceful moment while he could.

He thought about his life  _ before _ . He thought of warm hugs and just as cozy beds tucked inside homely houses. He thought of his friends and all the good times he'd shared with them.

Tommy didn't allow sadness to taint the bright images flowing through his mind's eyes. He reveled in the warmth they brought, letting it sink deep into his weary bones.

He thought about sunsets spent sitting on a wooden bench. He thought about sliding in his vinyl disks into a jukebox and closing his eyes as the tune drifted over him. He thought of chatting away about random nonsense with Tubbo.

Tommy felt a lump begin to form in his throat but swallowed around it stubbornly. Blue eyes stayed dry as they resolutely stared ahead.

Tommy thought about his best friend. He thought about all the silly situations they got into together, he thought about the fights they pulled each other through, he remembered laughter and happiness, anger and shouting, tears, and sorrow.

Before he'd realized it, Tommy had managed to walk to the Nether Portal that posed as an exit to his place of damnation. His blue eyes roamed along with the portal's edge before settling on the swirling mass of purple in the center.

If he played his cards right, he could go back home.

Tommy shook his head. No, he couldn't use Dream like that. Ghostbur had said enough about it being not only a bad idea but so very morally wrong. Would Tommy be willing to do that to someone else? He'd be terrified, knowing if someone would do the same should it have been him.

His lips fell into a dark scowl at the thought. The old Dream would most likely not have hesitated to do such a thing, that much Tommy was sure of. Ghostbur's words resonated in his mind once more, and Tommy fought to stop that train of thought before it derailed.

The blonde's distraught thoughts were interrupted as the tell-tale sound of someone using the portal resonated rather loudly throughout the clearing. Tommy's head snapped upward so quickly he felt a twinge of protest in his neck, but he ignored the bit of pain in favor of shifting his full attention to the shimmering portal.

A figure slowly became visible before a foot stepped through, followed by the rest of the person's body. Tommy's breath got caught in his throat, and his head felt fuzzy as he took in what he saw before him.

Tubbo dusted off the front of his suit jacket and his shoulders before lifting his eyes to suddenly meet Tommy's. He let loose a small gasp out of surprise, but words failed him, and his mouth hung open uselessly. Tommy was in a similar position but managed to recover quicker by straightening up and clearing his throat noisily. Tubbo flinched at the sudden sound and blinked quickly before hurrying to recover his ground as well.

"What are you doing here?" Tommy asked, thanking the gods his voice didn't break during his sentence. Tubbo's eyes flitted to the ground, and he fidgeted with his hands but stopped himself by folding them behind his back.

"I came to visit you," Tubbo replied and lifted his head to gaze firmly at the other boy. Tommy was taken aback by his words and blinked in stunned silence before scoffing and folding his arms across his chest. Tubbo frowned at his reaction.

"Really now?" Tommy inquired bitterly. "What's the sudden occasion, because I was sure the rest of you sorry lot forgot about me."

"Tommy, that’s not true-" Tubbo tried to defend himself and the others, but Tommy raised a hand to stop him and spoke over him.

"Save your bullshit. I don't have time for your pity," Tommy sighed and rubbed at his eyes. Tubbo bristled slightly at his choice of words but took a steadying breath. He hadn't come here to fight with Tommy.

"You seem to have plenty of time. As far as I can see, you don't have much going on at the moment," Tubbo retaliated in a passive-aggressive tone instead of snapping back like he wanted to. Tommy scowled deeply, though he didn't bite back. He instead sighed once more and ran a hand harshly through his messy hair. Tubbo noted sadly how unkempt Tommy's appearance had become. His once bright, blue eyes held shadows of grief and mental exhaustion. Tommy's face was gaunt and slightly paler than the last time the young male had seen him. It hurt knowing he'd caused his friend to fall like this.

"I have bigger problems to worry about, Tubbo," Tommy said quietly, and Tubbo's face softened with worry. He took a step forward and reached out for the other boy but stopped short when Tommy shot a withering glare in his direction.

"What's going on, Tommy?"

The exiled teen looked at Tubbo and let his shoulders sag in defeat. Tubbo waited expectantly for Tommy to answer him and was rewarded when Tommy finally looked at him.

"Something happened to Dream," he began.

* * *

Tubbo stared at Dream with a blank expression. The young man stood very close to Ghostbur and was looking between him and the other two males present in what appeared to be a mixture of confusion and panic. That was enough to convince Tubbo that all Tommy had informed him about on their short walk here to be true.

The young president stepped toward the masked man and formed a friendly smile to calm the other of his very obvious nerves. If he had to guess, it must have been the suit. Schlatt had always been a stickler when it came to looking professional, and it seemed to have rubbed off on Tubbo during his time spent under him. Tubbo only wore it now because he didn't want others to see him as a little kid anymore but as a man.

Dream stared at him, and judging by his tense form, he was still wary but looked willing enough to listen to Tubbo.

"Hello, Dream," the president greeted kindly. Dream visibly moved his head as he looked Tubbo up and down with unveiled anxiety. It almost flattered Tubbo with how much caution Dream was using with him, but he hid away his amusement for now and smiled wide at the older male.

"Am I supposed to know you?" he asked suddenly, and Tubbo prided himself for not flinching at the soft tone of voice and the way the question made him feel. Tubbo's smile dimmed, and he nodded sadly.

"Yes, but it's okay if you don't right now," Tubbo reassured. Ghostbur and Tommy carefully watched from the sidelines. Dream nodded slowly but didn't say anything else. Tubbo sent him another smile that he hoped was reassuring before turning to face Tommy. "You weren't lying," He told the other, and Tommy shrugged with a grim expression.

"Did you come here to help?" Dream asked in a hopeful tone that shocked Tubbo. It occurred to him that every time he'd spoken to Dream before this had happened, the older had never fully used much emotion in his speech. Tubbo looked at the green-clad male from over his shoulder while shooting a glance at Ghostbur, who was smiling sadly at Dream while hovering close to the amnesiac's side.

Tubbo's eyes darted between Tommy and Ghostbur before settling on Dream once more as he quickly made up his mind. He turned to fully face Dream again and smiled once more at him. He'd messed up so much recently maybe this was his chance to do something right for a change.

"Yes, I did," Tubbo answered confidently and dutifully ignored Tommy's loud cry of confusion and Ghostbur's raised eyebrow. Dream still looked at him with his mouth parted slightly in silent shock. Tubbo didn't stop his small giggle at the three's varying expressions and turned to Tommy once more. "You guys are coming back with me," He told the taller teen, who balked in great disbelief.

"Tubbo, what about the-"

"You've seemed to have forgotten, Tommy," Tubbo interrupted, placing a hand on his chest. He leveled Tommy with a stern but not unkind gaze. "I'm the president now. I have the final say in all of the country's decisions. If I think it best to do something, then I'll fucking do it," Tubbo declared with a wide grin. The short brunette pointed a finger in the blonde teen's direction.

"With that said," His grin slipped into a softer, almost apologetic smile that caused a lump to form in Tommy's throat. "I, thus declare your status as an exiled citizen revoked." 

Tommy let out a laugh, shaking his head with a trembling smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Tommy and Tubbo have met up again!! Very excited for that. I would like to thank my wonderful editor MoonyEater again and the lovely person themselves has a few words to share!
> 
> Editor's Note: Literally what the fuck. Do you see this shit??? GRAMMARLY IS FUCKING BROKEN LMAO AAA IM SORRY, BUT IT'S EDITED I SWEAR LMAO   
> 2nd Editor's Note: <3 you guys are so cool <3 
> 
> I'm not sure what's up with grammerly even though all my mistakes are corrected a lot of them are still highlighted so wig I guess.
> 
> On the other hand...  
> I'VE HIT OVER THREE THOUSAND FRACKING HITS ON THIS???? WHAT THE HELL??
> 
> Seriously, you guys are amazing and I can't thank you enough for the support. I'm so happy all of you enjoy this as much as I do and I'm very glad I am able share it with ya'll. Thanks for the comments and kudos they really keep me going!
> 
> I'll see ya'll next chapter!! :)
> 
> Love ya'll!!


	5. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so tired...
> 
> Hope ya'll enjoy!

Dream felt his stomach churn uncomfortably as the small group of four stepped into the Nether Portal. He and Ghostbur helped by carrying small bags that held most of Tommy's supplies that he'd accumulated during his time in exile while the blonde held his more essential items in another. The fact that Tommy was in exile was still very new and confusing information for the masked man.

His eyes peered at the pair of teens from behind his porcelain mask. Tubbo and Tommy led the way across the high bridge with Dream walking in pace with Ghostbur a few paces behind them. They seemed to be conversing casually, but even the dirty blonde could sense the still awkward tension that had stuck between the boys since their departure from the seaside. Dream glanced at the male hovering next to him and opened his mouth to speak but sighed and closed it before looking forward again.

Ghostbur saw the action from his peripheral vision and looked to the tall male with a small hum of confusion.

"Is something wrong?" He asked when he noticed Dream's frown despite the horrid lighting from the lava far below them. Dream pushed his hood back and rubbed at his neck with his free hand, and Ghostbur wondered if it was the temperature that was bothering the other. It was hard for him to say, considering everything seemed quite chilly to him all the time.

"Tommy was exiled...?" Came the soft question, and it clicked in the brunette's head just what was causing the other grief. He made a small noise of acknowledgment and nodded to himself before moving his attention back to Dream once more.

"Yes, he was," Ghostbur answered quietly. His hazy, brown eyes stared ahead sadly at the young boys in front of them.

Dream's hold on the knapsack he held tightened, causing his knuckles to turn white. His heart clenched, and he felt a pang of sudden guilt overwhelm him. Behind his mask, his eyes had widened in surprise at the abrupt bout of emotion. It felt foreign... as if it didn't belong to him but a different person entirely. His lips pressed into a thin line as he set his jaw stubbornly to hide the feeling warring in his mind.

"Why?"

"It's not really my place to say," Ghostbur answered with a small wave in Tommy's direction. Dream managed to shift his gaze from where he'd locked it onto the obsidian under his feet to the apparition's face.

"Was I there when it happened?" Dream asked in what sounded like fear. The dead soldier's posture stiffened, and he fought to keep his face neutral. He didn't want to be the one to do this. He didn't want to be the one who told this man about his past decisions and wrongdoings.

It didn't have to be now. Ghostbur didn't have to tell Dream about it at this moment. And he wouldn't have been lying, but just merely beating around the bush so he wouldn't have to be the one to tell Dream all this. It wasn't his forte, but he could pull it off just this once. Ghostbur decided he wanted to give Dream a chance to start over.

Just like he'd been given.

"You knew about it," Ghostbur conceded, and Dream's frown deepened.

"Was he always alone?" Dream asked all but desperately, and it warmed Ghosbur's heart seeing how much the man had grown to care about Tommy in such a small amount of time. He never thought he'd live to see the day.

"No," Ghostbur said with a small smile and fully turned his head to look at Dream. "You were his most frequent visitor, actually," He added, causing the other to stare in silence.

Dream would never be able to explain the relief that flooded his heart and soul. He looked away from the brunette and stared silently at Tommy, who seemed to be defending himself from some remark Tubbo had made.

"I visited him?"

"Quite often,"  _ Only to burn and take away everything he'd made to keep himself sane. _ That was what Ghostbur couldn't bring himself to say, not when Dream seemed to relax tremendously after hearing his response.

It still felt wrong, leading Dream on like this. But what else could he do? Ghostbur prayed he wouldn't be the one to see the other's face fall when it all finally came back to him. Would Dream be angry with him? Would he revert to his old self, or would he close himself off and leave to deal with the guilt alone. Ghostbur would be lying if he said he had never felt that way before. He'd wanted to run from his mistakes and their consequences so many times previously.

Watching as his son cheerfully conversed with that traitorous man had hurt more than anything else he'd been unfortunate enough to experience. But he'd learned long ago that had only happened because of what he'd done while still alive. And Fundy was happy now, and that proved to be enough for him when he honestly thought about it. It was difficult remembering what Eret had done, other than hearing about it from others. But in the end, he chose to forgive the man. So many had done the same for him despite his crazed actions.

Dream nodded, mostly to himself, and the two of them fell into a comfortable silence that was complemented with the steady beat of footsteps and soft whispers of the teens as they conversed.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Tubbo?" Tommy warily asked as they stood in front of the Community Portal. Tubbo looked at Tommy, who stood to his left with a nervous expression in place of the cocky smile he'd gotten used to seeing all the time.

"I'll handle it," He reassured and rested a hand on the taller's arm. Tommy looked at the appendage before his eyes shifted to Dream, who was staring at the portal in silence. Tubbo followed his gaze and stepped around the blonde to approach the masked male. "You'll come out with me first, okay?" Dream nodded. The teen could sense his nerves, which must be reflecting the way Tommy was acting. It was quite evident that Tommy was the one Dream trusted the most out of the three of them, and Tubbo understood since his friend was the one who had helped Dream first. It made sense, so he didn't question it.

"Just let Tubbo do the talking, and you'll be fine," Ghostbur reassured and took the knapsack Dream held with a reassuring smile. Tommy met Dream's eyes and nodded resolutely to the older male.

"You can trust Tubbo," Tommy told him, and the small teen smiled widely in response. Tommy returned it with a shaky one of his own before directing it to Dream. "He'll handle it," He repeated Tubbo's previous statement, and the young president felt his heart swell at the amount of trust Tommy was putting in him despite all that had happened. Dream nodded and stepped forward to the portal. He looked back to the others expectantly, and Tubbo quietly laughed before joining him.

Tubbo stopped just shy of the portal's threshold and took a deep breath. He turned back to Tommy and Ghostbur, a solemn expression replacing his nervous smile.

"Make sure you follow close behind," He instructed grimly. "Just-" He took a shaky breath before swallowing thickly. "Just let me do the talking," He used Ghostbur's words. The three other men nodded resolutely, and Tubbo returned it as a determined glint entered his eyes. It wouldn't be easy to explain, and he was sure not everyone would settle with Tubbo's decision without doubts, even if they told them Dream agreed as well. He turned to Dream once more and nodded again before stepping into the shimmering purple void with the other following close behind.

Tubbo's stomach flipped from both the short burst of vertigo and his nerves, but he swallowed down the feeling and clenched his jaw. When the violet haze gave way to a blue sky and gray stone, Tubbo stepped out of the portal's center. Tubbo's blue eyes stayed forward as he scanned the radius for those who had been guarding the gateway to the Nether before he left that morning. He heard Dream stop to his right and took another deep breath.

Sure enough, footsteps could be heard pounding upon stone steps, and two figures began to approach them, donning netherite armor. It glinted a deep violet as the plates shifted when they moved in the sun, and Tubbo raised a hand to shield his eyes from the blazing light.

The first to reach them was Sapnap, who quickly tore off his helmet, allowing his sweat-slicked hair to be seen. His dark eyes flitted from Tubbo to Dream several times before settling on the taller's silent form. The second guard to approach was Punz, who stopped and looked between the three, seemingly waiting for someone to speak up.

"Gentlemen," Tubbo greeted, and both older males looked to him as he began to speak. "We seem to have a problem on our hands," He started and side-eyed Dream, who had yet to speak up. Tubbo breathed a sigh of silent relief and returned his attention to the men in front of him.

"Is it bad?" Punz asked calmly. His pale blue eyes flicked to Sapnap, who had taken to frowning in Dream's direction. A frown formed on his face when he noticed how tense Dream looked behind the very obvious facade of a calm expression. Dream hood was strangely pushed back, showing his wavy locks, and his jacket and jeans were scuffed and caked with dirt as well as blood.

"Hard to say," Tubbo answered, and Punz looked back to the teen.

"Why did you need to tell us about it?" Sapnap asked, finally tearing his eyes away from his friend. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. "We aren't a part of your cabinet or anything, so why bother?" Tubbo nodded along to his words.

"It may seem rather personal for some of you," He released and looked to Sapnap, causing the other's frown to deepen utterly. "I also needed to let you know beforehand not to shoot Tommy," He added, and both guards' eyes widened before looking to Dream for confirmation. Tubbo looked worriedly to the taller, knowing the sudden attention might be making him uncomfortable. 

Dream, however, managed to keep calm and looked to Tubbo. The brunette smiled softly and gave an encouraging nod. The older of the two looked back to the other two men. At this point, it was clear that he was supposed to know these two, but nothing came to mind when he looked at them. It felt as if he was continuously ramming into a stone wall. Ghostbur had told him he shouldn't try to force himself to remember and let the memories come naturally, but Dream hated how empty he felt without them. He'd been stripped of his memory and, by extension, his identity.

But he wasn't alone. He had Tubbo and Ghostbur, who seemed more than willing to help him. He also had Tommy, who had been the first one to support him. And even if he didn't remember what the boy was like, it was apparent to Dream that he wasn't a shitty person. Dream looked at the two guards before pushing down his thoughts. He could do this. He only had to say one thing.

"Tommy is no longer exiled," He stated, voice showing no room for argument. The second the words left his mouth, the portal hummed to life again, and another figure stepped through. Tired blue eyes raked across the perimeter before they landed on the small group. Ghostbur floated by Tommy's side but drifted more to the side as the living teen made his way to stand next to Tubbo.

"Sapnap," Tubbo called, and the ravenette snapped his attention to the short male. "Get George," He told him with a grim expression that made the older's stomach churn unpleasantly. "I need to speak with both of you," Sapnap nodded slowly before backing to leave. His black eyes scanned the small crowd once more before he turned fully and left the area. Punz nodded to the young president before taking his leave as well.

Once both of them had left, the group released a collective sigh of relief. Tubbo ran a hand through his hair before looking to Tommy, who shot him a tired smile.

"Told you I could handle it," He snarked, and the blonde barked out a laugh while ribbing the other with his elbow.

"Never doubted ya for a second there, Big T."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support on this! It's truly amazing and I'm very greatful.
> 
> Editor's Note: It would have been posted sooner if I actually edited when I was supposed to, so my bad tehehe;;; pwease forgive me uwu 
> 
> Yeah... It was kinda a late posting but that's also a bit of my fault as well so I think we can all forgive Moony, don't ya'll agree? Say thank you to our beautiful editor!! (Love ya! <3)
> 
> Things have been very hectic lately because I have recently been transferred to homeschool- least to say, I hate it. A lot. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT HERE! This shouldn't cause problems with postings because I have a few chapters already written and have plans for more as well but updates might be a bit wack for a bit until I get into a new routine and get my groove back.
> 
> Thank you all again for your patience and support. And as for my commenters, you guys are amazing and I love you! You're thoughts and observations make my day every time I see them. You guys are wonderful and amazing!
> 
> Sorry for the long author's note but thanks for reading again! And I will see ya'll next chapter!  
> Bye~


	6. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this chapter so I hope you all feel the same! Thanks again for reading!

Tommy sighed as he flopped onto the couch with a dull thump. He was exhausted, to say the least. Tubbo had insisted he and Dream wash up a bit before the meeting, and Tommy had no complaints about that. After taking a long shower and contemplating his life while enjoying the warm water, Tommy waited in Tubbo's living room.

The blonde stared at the ceiling of the quaint house. He remembered when he helped Tubbo build it back when the other first arrived at the once small village. Tommy's mind wandered to more early memories of simpler times, happier times.

Tommy sighed again softly and rubbed tiredly at his eyes, and yawned. His muddled mind finally realized how tired his body was. All those restless nights seemed to have finally caught up to him. He was suddenly aware of his sore muscles and aching joints. Tommy chuckled as he could mentally hear his friends call him an old man. His eyelids felt so heavy, and he didn't bother fighting the lulling pull of sleep. Surely, Tubbo would understand his exhaustion.

Tommy allowed himself to fall asleep and was soon snoring softly on the couch.

* * *

Ranboo felt guilty for being curious instead of worried when Tubbo informed him about Dream, as well as Tommy's newly appointed citizenship. While he was very excited for his friend to have been able to come back home, his mind continued to think back to how Tubbo's expression looked when he spoke to him.

Ranboo had been told, as well as Fundy and Quackity, to keep this problem on the down-low until Tubbo could address it suitably. The young president had sent the hybrid to check on Tommy and Dream while he went to meet up with Sapnap and George to presumably inform them of their friend's sudden condition. Ranboo felt once again slightly guilty for being relieved, only slightly, of course.

The tall teen paused on the wooden porch. How should he go about this? Ranboo took a deep breath and forced himself to think carefully, knowing full well that one wrong move could be fatal in some way. Mismatched eyes closed as Ranboo recalled how he felt during his episodes. He remembered how frustrated he felt when he had to be told something that he should easily remember. How patronizing it felt despite knowing his friends were only trying to help.

Maybe this was why Tubbo sent him to check on them.

Ranboo squared his shoulders and stepped up to the door before carefully twisting the doorknob and entering. The young male continued to take breaths, which he counted in his mind, to keep his head steady on his goal as he rounded the corner and stopped at the living room's threshold.

Tommy was snoring loudly with his arm thrown lazily over his eyes while he slept and his legs hanging haphazardly off the couch's side. Ranboo allowed himself to smile softly at the mess of limbs that was his friend. It seemed he would be able to thank Tommy after all.

A quiet rustle of someone shifting caught Ranboo's attention and his eyes darted to the smaller couch where Dream sat, looking in his direction. Ranboo took in his appearance, noting how he had never seen the older male without his familiar jacket that had been abandoned, leaving him in a tight black turtleneck. His mask, however, was still covering his face leaving the empty smile to stare at him in place of where his eyes should be underneath.

Ranboo couldn't tell if he was actually looking at him but smiled nonetheless as he stepped into the living fully. If Dream hadn't been looking at him before, he certainly was now as Ranboo could feel his eyes on his person as he lowered into the only chair in the room. Ranboo took into account how tense Dream was looking, almost ready to bolt should he need to. He also continued to look between Tommy and him, and Ranboo wondered if he was debated if it was safe to leave Tommy behind. The hybrid was surprised at the subtle act, wondering how Dream must see Tommy now if what Tubbo had told was correct. Dream stared at him expectantly, and Ranboo realized he must've been silent for too long.

"Hello," He greeted kindly and smiled again. Dream stared at him for a moment longer, seeming to gauge whether Ranboo was a threat or not, so when the older relaxed, Ranboo mentally cheered.

"Hello," Dream returned hesitantly. "Are you with Tubbo?" He asked carefully and looked the other up and down once more. Ranboo nodded and chuckled slightly.

"Was it the suit that gave it away?" He joked, hoping to lighten the mood enough to make this bearable for the both of them. He was delighted when the other's mouth upturned into a barely noticeable smile. "I'm sorry," He suddenly said and leaned forward with his hand outstretched for the other to shake, and Dream stared at it with his lips in a small confused frown. "I didn't introduce myself," He explained, and Dream nodded slowly before taking his hand carefully and letting Ranboo shake it. "I'm Ranboo," He smiled again.

_ Don't hover. _

"What's your name?" Ranboo tried to ask casually, but he couldn't tell if it worked or not. One thing he was sure of was that Dream's eyebrows had most likely shot up in surprise behind his mask. Dream slowly retracted his hand and let it rest limply at his side on the couch's plush surface. Ranboo waited patiently, knowing Dream was not expecting the question.

_ Treat him like a normal person. _

"Dream," The dirty blonde answered quietly, and Ranboo nodded. It was silent as Ranboo waited for Dream to speak up next. "Do I know you?"

_ Give him the information he asks for. _

"You do," Ranboo nodded and squeezed his hands together in his lap but kept his expression steady and his eyes on Dream's mask.

"I just don't remember," Dream finished, and Ranboo nodded sadly.

_ Don't force what he's forgotten onto him. _

"That's okay," Ranboo reassured when Dream looked down with a deeper frown. "We all forget things sometimes," He remarked with a shrug, and Dream shook his head.

"Not everyone forgets everything completely," Dream grumbled bitterly. Ranboo nodded in agreement but moved to respond once more.

"Not everyone forgets what they eat for breakfast every single morning either," Dream head snapped upwards to stare at the taller boy again, and Ranboo smiled. He moved his gaze down as he began to fiddle with a loose thread on the chair's armrest. "Not everyone forgets if they slept the night before or what day of the week it is every single day," He went on.

_ Don't single him out. _

Ranboo lifted his gaze and stared at Dream with a look of understanding. Dream looked too shell-shocked to speak and continued to stare silently. Ranboo lifted his hand to rub at the back of his neck nervously at the feeling of the older's eye on him.

"I forget a lot of things," He started and kept his eyes on his hands after he folded them together again. "It's hard to explain just what types of things I forget, but I still get where you're coming from. I guess it is what I want to say," He shrugged with uncertainty. Dream still stared at him without speaking, and Ranboo hoped he didn't say something wrong. "I know it doesn't bother Wilbur as much, but for me, it frustrates me to no end having to depend on others for simple things... like what time is a meeting is or who it was that asked me a certain favor," Ranboo rambled, running a hand through his hair. He was blinking rapidly when a white piece fell into his red eye. He huffed and let his hand fall to his lap with a dull thud before looking at the carpet between.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Ranboo says softly but doesn't raise his eyes to look at the other. He couldn't tell if he was saying those words for Dream or himself at this point, but he didn't care either way. "You're still you," The hybrid slowly raised his gaze and forced himself to keep his eyes locked on the other. "The only difference is that when you get your memories back, you'll get to choose to become that person again or stay the way you are now,"

Words continued to fail Dream, and he was the first to break eye contact this time by moving his gaze to the sleeping teen on the opposite side of the room. Dream was confused and worried about Ranboo's last statement but decided to take it as it was and worry about its deeper meaning when he had the time. For now, he needed to worry about getting his memories back. Dream raised his head and smiled gratefully at the hybrid teen. Ranboo returned it comfortably.

"Thanks,"

"You're welcome," Ranboo replied and gave a mental sigh of relief that nothing he said backfired.

_ Treat him like a normal person. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ranboo! Yay! This boi has quickly become one of my favorites as of recently and I'm very happy I managed to add him into this. I hope he's character is portrayed well enough.
> 
> Thanks so much for all the support. I hadn't been able to look at my profile for a few days and when I finally got around to checking it I was shocked to see this fic had jumped from 5000 hits to 7000 in only the span of a few days! That's super crazy! I wouldn't been able to get this far without your support and with the abundant help of my friends. Seriously, thank you.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed and as always please feel free to leave a comment telling how I did or if you have any theories! I'm always happy to read them and try very hard to respond to each one!
> 
> See ya'll next chapter! :)


	7. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit late but me and Moony have both been busy and things are hectic. This has not been edited yet but I will be posting the edited version when its done, so for now take my word vomit and forgive me of my mistakes.
> 
> Enjoy!~

"I don't understand," Fundy muttered with his eyes fixed on the slick surface of the rounded table. Quackity sat to his left while Ghostbur hovered on his right. Tubbo sat in front of them with a deep frown marring his features.

"What's there to not understand?" Tubbo asked wearily and ran a hand through his hair roughly while mentally cursing himself for his lack of sleep the night before. "I've explained everything Tommy's told me."

"And you expect us to believe it, just like that?" Quackity asked in exasperation. "How do we know he isn't just trying to pull something? For all, we know Tommy could be in on it as well," The dark-haired male accused.

"He's telling the truth," Ghostbur defended calmly, causing Fundy to look in his direction with furrowed brows.

"How do you know that for sure?" Quackity asked again while facing the ghost this time. Ghostbur didn't move to explain himself, only fiddling with a small stone in his grasp while humming a tune under his breath. Fundy scoffed and faced Tubbo once more.

"Tubbo," The hybrid sighed heavily as the teen's eyes focused on him. "I know we shouldn't be questioning your decisions, but we have no way of knowing this is legit. We have every right to be wary of keeping Dream in L'manburg," The brunette nodded along to Fundy's words as the older spoke.

"I never said you didn't," Tubbo leaned back in his chair and let his eyes close. His hand rose to rub his temple tiredly. God, he was so tired. "But, I'm sure that if you spoke to him yourself, you'd see it too,"

"Why'd you suddenly let Tommy come back?" Quackity asked suddenly, and Tubbo's eyes opened to see the older male staring him down with an intensity he was not comfortable with.

"What?"

"Why now of all times, did you let him come back?" Quackity pointed a finger at Tubbo with narrowed eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see him, and all but you had no reason for doing so other than getting both him and Dream here," Fundy's brows rose in surprise at the other's words and he looked in Tubbo's direction as well for an explanation.

"What are you getting at?" Tubbo asked warily as his eyes narrowed and his posture took on an almost defensive stance.

"Why are you so willing to help him?" Fundy asked seemingly getting aboard Quackity's train of thought. "Even if he isn't lying we aren't obligated to help,"

"Fundy's right, you know," Quackity nodded. Tubbo's eyes flicked between the two older males with an expression akin to a cornered animal. "He's done nothing but cause shit for us! Tubbo, he started a fucking war with you guys for crying out loud!" The short man slammed a hand on the table harshly. Fundy flinched at the noise and his eyes flickered to Tubbo in silent worry.

"Quackity, we should be calm about this,"

"Tubbo, he deserved whatever happened to him!" The other continued. Tubbo's eyes were now downcast, his hands squeezing tightly together. Ghostbur watched on with a frown and tense shoulders, he wanted to comfort Tubbo but feared to gain the angry's male attention and therefore have the shouting directed at him instead. All three males' startled however when Tubbo shoved the chair back harshly causing a low screech to fill the moment of tense silence as he stood. His head was tilted downward causing his hair to shade his eyes, but his shaking shoulders portrayed his current emotions enough.

"Tubbo..." Ghostbur murmured but didn't move toward the teen despite obviously wanting to.

"You'd want someone to fucking help if it was you, wouldn't you?" Tubbo asked slowly and raised his eyes to meet the others. Neither of them spoke. "Wouldn't you?" Tubbo asked again, louder.

"That's different-"

"No, it really isn't," Tubbo shook his head and ran a hand over his face with a heavy sigh. "We can't start something petty like this-"

"It's not petty!" Quackity argued, but Tubbo plowed onward as if he hadn't spoken.

"We need to be the bigger person and do what's right," Tubbo finished and crossed his arms over his chest. The suit jacket bunched up awkwardly where his elbows were crossed and he cringed inwardly at the feeling. He made a mental note to change later when he got the chance.

"I still don't see how this benefits us," Fundy interjected before Quackity could launch into another loud argument.

"If we help Dream now, then there is a big possibility of befriending him when he does recover his memories in the future," Tubbo explained patiently and lowered himself into the chair once more.

"He might remember?" Fundy gaped and seemed to flounder for a moment before hurrying to speak again. "Isn't that a bad thing?" The hybrid asked with his ears pinned back in obvious agitation.

"His amnesia is injury based meaning it's a likely possibility as his head heals," Ghostbur pointed out. Fundy flinched at his statement causing the ghost to frown in worry, but he opted to stay quiet.

"As I said before," Tubbo continued with a nod in Ghostbur's direction. "If we help him now, he might be grateful for it in the future, thus helping us form an alliance and avoiding future problems and possible wars," The president explained with minimal hand gestures.

"What do we do 'till then?" Quackity asked with a bitter note to his words. Tubbo took it as the other begrudgingly agreeing with his decision. Tubbo smiled faintly in the older's direction, glad to know he'd always be able to count on the other when he needed him. Tubbo moved his gaze to the transparent figure who was still fiddling with the small stone in his hands.

"Wilbur," The dead man hummed in reply and met Tubbo's blue eyes. "What has Tommy told Dream so far?" Ghostbur seemed to cringe at the question raising a few red flags but Tubbo was patient enough to let the other speak first.

"He hasn't told him much of anything aside from the fact that Dream knows him," Wilbur answered with a small frown. "On our way there I had also told him how he was one of Tommy's main visitors during his exile. He seemed pretty horrified at the idea of Tommy being in exile when Tubbo mentioned it," The floating male recounted the moments while a finger rested on his cheek as he spoke. Quackity scoffed and looked away with an eye-roll. Tubbo hummed to himself and leaned back in his chair once more as he tried to think of their best alternative.

"I suppose, we can try to jog his memory in subtle ways," The young male voiced catching the other's attention again.

"Why not just tell the asshole what he did and get it over with?" Quackity snarked and Tubbo sighed heavily again.

"Big Q..." Tubbo bemoaned and the Hispanic man waved his hand to show he was joking. Tubbo shook his head again with a small smile. "We shouldn't say anything for now," He glanced at Wilbur who was nodding in silent agreement giving Tubbo the confidence he wasn't spewing random ideas from his mouth. "We aren't too sure how he'll react," 

"What do you mean by that?" Fundy asked with a quirked brow and Wilbur leaned forward with a wide grin on his face in answer.

"He's quite nice now," The dead soldier pointed out. "I even scared him when he first saw me," Wilbur laughed and his smile softened to one of fondness. "He seems to care a lot about Tommy as well..." He trailed off and met Tubbo's confused stare.

"Bullshit," Quackity muttered but Wilbur merely nodded in reply and continued.

"Tommy was the one who helped him first, so it makes sense he trusts him the most," Fundy and Quackity both whipped their heads to face the spirit with wide eyes.

"Tommy helped him?" Fundy asked incredulously and Wilbur nodded again eagerly.

"I was a bit surprised myself if I'm honest," The apparition chuckled.

"Tommy said he found he found him collapsed in the forest not far from his campsite," Tubbo intercepted. Fundy's brows furrowed again as his eyes stared hard at the table's surface. Quackity released a hollow chuckle and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"You're really allowing this, aren't you?" He asked flatly and Tubbo nodded despite him not being to see him.

"Tommy wants to help him too," Wilbur stated and Tubbo nodded again. Quackity sighed and let his hands fall onto the table with a soft knock. His gray eyes met Tubbo's blue ones as he hesitated for a moment before sighing again in defeat.

"Who the hell are we to deny Tommy?" He remarked as a smile spread across his lips. Tubbo felt his body relax and his shoulder's sagged as some of the pressure lessened. Fundy still seemed worried but nodded nonetheless. Tubbo smiled at his two friends and gave a thankful glance to Wilbur who smiled widely in return.

"I'm sure Tommy will be grateful,"

* * *

"What does he need from us? We're not even citizens of L'Manburg," George asked with a raised brow. The brit noticed how tense his friend was and frowned in concern. "Sapnap?" He asked causing the taller to flinch and snap back from wherever his mind had taken him.

"I'm not too sure what's about either," Sapnap murmured while rubbing the back of his neck. "Dream was there too," He offered. The ravenette's frown deepened when he noticed George's posture had tensed considerably and his hands had paused in their formerly steady movements above the male's sword. "George?" He called hesitantly and stepped forward toward the shorter. Sapnap knew that things had been pretty strained between the two of them and Dream but this seemed different.

George shakily raised a hand to push his sunglasses up revealing wide eyes that darted towards the other. Sapnap sat down next to the brunette and watched with a worried expression as he continued to stare at him with wide eyes. Sapnap felt his gut drop as he continued to watch his friend struggle for words, beneath that sudden bout of fear, anger bubbled as his mind flew through possibilities of what had caused this kind of reaction from his friend.

"George," The young male called again and gripped the older by his shoulders. George blinked blearily in response but Sapnap took it as a sign that the other had managed to pull himself free from whatever panic he'd gotten caught in. The silent man waited for Sapnap to speak again as the other's dark eyes bore into his own.

Sapnap took a deep breath prompting George to as well before he licked his lips and prepared himself to speak again. He looked his friend in the eye, a steely glint of protective anger igniting them.

"What did he do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I oop-
> 
> So how about that? Georgie makes an appearance! Yay!
> 
> Raise your hand if your scared for this Dream Team reunion...? My hands definitely up there. XD
> 
> Thanks so much for the support on this work, its really amazing you guys... T^T Please leave comments telling me what you think, I work really hard on this chapters and it won't take much of your time. I'd appreciate it! I don't bite I promise so don't be scared to even just tell me you like it! :)
> 
> Bit of a self promotion here but.... heh heh... I wrote a one shot called Killing Him Softly, it's my take on the whole Dreamon theory! If you haven't already please check it out! I'm really proud of how it came out!
> 
> Okay, I'm done now lol
> 
> Bye! See ya'll next chapter!


	8. Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not edited again but I hope you enjoy it anyways!
> 
> Also! TW for panic attacks (just in case, I'm paranoid of triggering someone. Sue me)

Sapnap observed George as the two of them entered L'Manburg's borders. The shorter of the two remained silent after Sapnap's sudden question, but that didn't stop him from trying to ask again. Every time though, George remained silent which only added to the younger's worry.

"George, come on," He prodded and stepped in front of the other's path just as they began walking off of the Prime Path and towards the White House. "It's obvious something happened," George only glowered at the ground below them in response. "Come on, man," He groaned and moved to block the brunette again when George tried to sidestep around him. They awkwardly moved in tandem for a few moments before George sighed heavily and finally looked Sapnap in the eye. "Talk to me, bro,"

George's gaze wavered and he looked off to the side as his left hand moved to rub his arm. Sapnap waited as patiently as he could before he sighed as well and looked to the ground in defeat.

"Look, George," He spoke softly. "I get it, okay? You and Dream were closer out of us three," He chose to ignore the flinch his words caused and plowed forward. "But I'm your friend too. I care about you just as much as he did," He looked up with a deep frown and placed a hand on the other's shoulder. George kept his eyes trained on the ground. "You don't have to tell me anything you aren't comfortable with, but I'm here when you need me," He let his hand fall to his side. "We're all we've got now," Sapnap turned expecting George to follow him but stopped short when he heard his friend mutter something. The raven-haired male turned quickly to face the other man. George's hands were clenched tightly into fists at his sides and his covered eyes now stared at Sapnap again.

"He didn't hurt me," George repeated his mumbled sentence. Sapnap's shoulders sagged as a wave of relief washed over him. George kept his gaze locked with Sapnap's. Sapnap nodded slowly and ran a hand through his hair as he released a shaky breath in response. He hated how he felt this way but after everything that's happened his worries were reasonable in his opinion.

"Okay," He whispered and nodded again. George nodded in response and stepped forward with the other male as they approached the White House where Tubbo exited along with Fundy and Quackity flanking him. They stopped shy of the stone stairs and looked up at the three males. Quackity's eyes flitted between Sapnap and Tubbo before he looked to Fundy and nodded. The hybrid returned the gesture and followed the other down the steps leaving George and Sapnap alone with the teen president. Tubbo watched them leave before turning his attention back to the other men. Sapnap noticed the other held himself rather stiffly and once again wondered just what Tuboo needed to speak to them about.

"Gentlemen," Tubbo greeted as they ascended the stairs and met him at the top.

"So, what's this about?" Sapnap asked with narrowed eyes. Tubbo nodded when he realized they wanted to cut to the chase and get this over with. He didn't blame them, having had this conversation once already he wasn't ready to have it again.

"I'll give it to you straight," The boy started and fiddled with the end of his tie using one hand but kept eye contact. "Something happened to Dream," George stiffened and Sapnap placed a steady hand on his shoulder, ignoring Tubbo's concerned glance and motioned for him to continue. "I went to visit Tommy earlier today and was informed that he had found Dream collapsed in the forest not very far from his campsite with various wounds," Tubbo ran a hand through his hair and let it slide down his face tiredly. Sapnap almost felt bad for the kid because frankly, he looked like shit. From experience, Sapnap could easily spot the telltale signs of a rough night without sleep.

"When Tommy approached him Dream seemed to get nervous and asked who he was," Tubbo continued and Sapnap blinked dumbly as his words settled into his brain.

"What?" George asked quietly. Sapnap would've been the one to speak up but his tongue suddenly felt heavy and his mouth and run dry. Tubbo sighed heavily and gave them a solemn look.

"Whatever caused his injury also caused him to lose his memories," Tubbo explained further causing both older men to stare at him in silent shock. "It seems pretty legit from what I've seen," Tubbo chuckled humorlessly.

"What do you mean?" Sapnap forced himself to ask.

"He was scared of me," Tubbo whispered, and despite seeming impossible Sapnap's eyes widened further. Tubbo shook his head as if still in disbelief as well. "He was acting all nervous and was staying close to Wilbur and Tommy. He even got upset when he realized the only reason Tommy was out there was that he'd been exiled," Tubbo raised both hands and rubbed the heels of his palms against his eyes roughly. "I'm so sorry," He muttered and Sapnap finally snapped out of his stupor at his last words.

"Wha-What are you apologizing for?" Sapnap sputtered. Tubbo let his hands fall limp at his sides and stared up at both of them with tired eyes.

"I want to help him," Tubbo said instead of answering him, once again catching the older off guard. "I know the things he's done are wrong but I think this could help us," He gestured to the buildings behind them bustling with people. Sapnap's eyes narrowed slightly the longer he thought over the younger's words.

"You're using him?" He asked incredulously. Tubbo shook his head violently and waved his hands in front of him in response.

"No, no, I don't want to do that," Tubbo denied quickly and relaxed when Sapnap seemed willing enough to hear him out. "I didn't just mean L'Manburg, I meant everyone. If we help Dream it could change his mind on how he sees everyone as he slowly regains his memories," He explained with a slight gesture to his head.

"He'll remember..?" George finally spoke up causing his friend to quickly glance at him in worry as he'd been worryingly silent until now. George looked paler than normal and his hands seemed to only be still at the moment because he was squeezing them tightly around each other. Tubbo nodded and a small smile spread along his lips.

"It's very much possible once his head wound heals up," The young president answered. "I wanted to tell you two because I know that out of all of us, Dream's actions have hurt you a lot more," Both men bristled at the statement but didn't reply as Tubbo moved to speak on. "I have no right to tell you to forgive him but I'm sure you'll want to be involved in his healing process," 

Sapnap let his gaze drop to the floor as his thoughts ran rampant in his head. He wanted to be worried, wanted to be upset even but his anger held him back. Would Dream even want their help?

_ "He doesn't care about us, George. He said so himself," _

Sapnap winced internally at the memory and braved a glance at George. George looked at him and they held each other's gazes for a moment before George nodded. Sapnap raised a questioning brow to which the brunette nodded again. They both raised the eyes to meet Tubbo's again and the younger stood waiting silently for their answer.

"Where is he?"

* * *

"Where exactly are we?" Dream asked as he pulled his freshly cleaned jacket over his head. Ranboo glanced at Tommy who smacked his forehead in dismay. Dream frowned at the action and looked to Ranboo in case he said something wrong.

"I'm so fucking stupid," The blonde teen grumbled and ruffled his hair harshly before looking back to Dream who was still staring at him in confusion. "I keep forgetting you don't remember any of this," He said but winced when Dream looked away with a deeper frown. Ranboo noticed the rising tension and cleared his throat noisily to catch the older male's attention.

"This is L'Manburg," The nervous hybrid answered with a hand gesture to the window behind him. "It's where most of us live, and the country that Tubbo is the president of," Ranboo added and Dream nodded slowly as he took in the new information.

"That's why he wore a suit," Dream murmured causing Tommy to bark out a surprised laugh.

"That's what you took from that!" He shouted and Dream merely shrugged in return while Ranboo laughed quietly behind his hand. Dream looked between both teens again before settling his gaze on Tommy again.

"You live here, right?" He asked while pointing a finger at the boy. Tommy nodded in response. "Do I live here too?" Ranboo tensed at the question and shot a subtle glance at Tommy. The blonde looked nervous for only a second before his expression relaxed and he leaned forward with a serious look in his eyes.

"Can you remember anything about L'Manburg?" He asked slowly and Dream looked down at his lap in thought for a moment. Ranboo was certain he could almost hear the gears turning in the man's head as he wracked his brain for anything helpful.

"Nothing's coming to mind," He grunted with an annoyed scowl. Tommy nodded in understanding.

"Hey," He called and Dream looked up at him again. Tommy shot him a wry grin that confused him momentarily until he spoke once more. "We'll get there, big man,"

Dream nodded slowly in turn and looked down again. Ranboo's heterochromia gaze flitted between the two as his brain fought to keep up with the strange scene displaying before him. He fidgetted slightly as the silence stretched on longer than he was comfortable with. Just as he was about to open his mouth a knock resounded at the door causing all three of them to jump up in surprise. The tallest of the three gladly took the distraction and went for the door.

Upon opening the door, Ranboo was greeted with the sight of a slightly nervous Fundy and a disgruntled Quackity. He looked behind them noticing Tubbo wasn't with them as well. He mentally face-palmed, Tubbo wouldn't have to knock on his own door. Ranboo shot another glance to the others behind him who were peering in his direction from where they still sat.

"I heard Tommy's back in town," Quackity spoke up when it seemed apparent Ranboo wasn't planning on talking soon. The tall teen jolted from his thoughts and nodded before giving the older male a questioning stare.

"Tubbo explained," Fundy informed quietly and Ranboo nodded before moving to the side to allow them through. Tommy was leaning over the couch with and curious spark in his blue eyes that lit up even more when he laid eyes on his old comrades.

"Fundy! Big Q!" He shouted before vaulting over the furniture and swinging his arms around both of their necks in a two-way side hug. Both of them smiled widely in return. "I missed you, assholes!" Quackity laughed loudly in reply while Fundy shouted indignantly.

"Missed you too, jerk," The Mexican said as he jabbed the younger's side with his elbow. 

"Yeah," Fundy added and smiled in his direction. "Congrats on coming back, bud," Tommy nodded eagerly at his words and launched into conversation with them leaving Ranboo to move back toward Dream as the three of them talked rapidly amongst each other. Ranboo smiled at the scene, happy for Tommy. It had been a while since he'd seen his other friends so happy as well, with tensions at an all-time high it was hard to relax. He'd expected Tommy to be angry with them for never visiting-Tubbo had expressed that worry to him as well, but it turned out Tommy had been happy enough to be able to come back at all, and Ranboo didn't blame him.

Ranboo felt horrible when watching Tommy being led away from the border, he hated himself for not being brave enough to fight harder on Tubbo's final decision. Part of him almost wanted to be angry at Tubbo for agreeing to Dream's terms but once he realized how torn up Tubbo became, how guilty he truly felt about sending his best friend away it seemed selfish to do so. Ranboo missed Tommy and of course was upset after he'd gotten exhaled, but he knew the sadness he felt was nothing compared to how Tubbo must've felt.

A sudden movement to his side knocked him free from his thinking and caused him to look over in confusion. Ranboo's eyes narrowed when they rested upon the sight of Dream's tense form as he stood from his seat and slowly slunk into a defensive stance. He opened his mouth to warn the others but stopped short when he noticed something.

Dream's hands were shaking.

They were clenched tightly into fists but Ranboo couldn't deny the fact that he could see the nervous trembling. That alone set off a different warning in Ranboo's head. The young hybrid's eyes widened and he looked up at the older's face to gauge what had set him off by following his sightline. Ranboo's eyes flitted over to the other side of the room and narrowed again but in confusion when he realized Dream was staring at Fundy.

As if sensing the eyes on him, the fox hybrid turned his head to look in their direction. Fundy's eyes widened when he noticed Dream's stiff figure and Ranboo opened his mouth to call out to the masked man but was cut off by Quackity's startled shout when he noticed the other as well. Ranboo quickly stood but that appeared to be a bad move on his part as Dream gave a full-body flinch and whipped his head around to face him. Ranboo raised his hands in a placating gesture even though he knew he looked nothing close to a threat as he was shaking just as badly as the other.

"Dream?" He heard Tommy call hesitantly and Dream quickly looked at him. Tommy had moved forward in a similar pose Ranboo had taken while Fundy and Quackity watched on warily, though the latter of the two seemed more ready to fight if prompted to. Tommy visibly hesitated and licked his lips nervously before taking a slow step forward. Dream seemed to watch his every move which gave Ranboo the chance to slowly back away to press himself against the wall on the far side of the room.

"What's happening?" Quackity snapped and Dream jumped at the new voice. Tommy shot him a glare over his shoulder that immediately shut the older male up. The blonde returned his attention to Dream once more and took in his stiff form while he racked his brain for whatever could have possibly set the older off.

"Dream," He called again to make sure the other was focused on him. "What wrong, man?" He asked what could be taken as a casual question if not for their current situation. Dream opened his mouth but no words came out. Tommy's brow creased as worry overtook his expression. "Did you remember something?" He asked hesitantly and waited for only another second before Dream shakily nodded while raising a hand to hold the side of his head. Tommy's eyes widened and he looked scared for a moment before seeming to squash whatever thought crossed his mind. 

"What did you remember?" Quackity asked sharply, Tommy called the other but he didn't appear to hear or care. The young man walked around the blonde but didn't approach Dream further.

"Big Q, stop," Tommy urged but Quackity's gaze stayed firmly on Dream. The man looked confused and frightened.

"Well!" He shouted causing Dream to tense and raise his arms to either attack or defend himself.

"Quackity..." Ranboo muttered keeping his eyes on Dream as well. He could see the other's tension rising dangerously.

"Don't you guys get it!?" He went on and finally looked back to the others. "He's remembering already and you guys still won't see he's a threat!"

"Quackity, stop!" Tommy hissed and stepped in between him and Dream.

"No, you stop, Tommy!" He retorted and jabbed a finger in the taller's chest. "I don't know what the hell this fucker did to you out there but one thing I know damn well is that it wasn't anything good!"

"Guys, stop it!" Fundy called and moved to break them apart. As he moved forward Dream flinched again and darted away when the fox neared them. Fundy seemed taken aback by this and looked to him in confusion.

"You don't know shit!" Tommy yelled back seemingly oblivious to everything else aside from their argument and shoved Quackity away from him. "None of you do! Stop acting like you know everything and just fucking listen for once!" Quackity glowered at him and took a step forward.

"How do we know this isn't some fucking ruse, he put you up to?!" The man cried back and thrust a hand in Dream's direction. Fundy watched in silence with a blank expression and stepped forward in the other's direction. He heard what Tubbo had said but it was too hard to believe that Dream could suddenly seem so vulnerable.

Fundy stepped forward again and the other two continued shouting. Dream's attention was fully on him now and he stepped back but his back hit the wall with a dull thud. Ranboo watched the exchange nervously. Fundy stepped forward again and Dream's panic seemed almost palpable within the air surrounding him.

"It makes sense now..." The fox murmured as he moved closer. Dream flinched at the sound of his footstep before seeming to finally snap and pushed himself off the wall before shoving Fundy harshly, sending the hybrid to the floor with a surprised yelp. Dream didn't falter and dashed through the arguing males causing them to let loose twin alarmed cries as they nearly lost their balance.

"Dream!" Tommy shouted as the older made for the front door, nearly tearing it off its hinges as he shoved it open. The teen scrambled away from Quackity trying to follow him as he dashed out the door.

Ranboo watched shell-shocked leaning heavily against the wall and breathing heavily. Fundy and Quackity quickly made their way out the door to follow Tommy but he couldn't bring himself to move. His knees wouldn't stop shaking and he felt on the verge of collapsing. Ranboo slid down the wall just as more footsteps rushed into the house, he looked up with wide eyes and was met with the sight of a worried Tubbo staring down at him.

The smaller teen knelt in front of him and seemed to be speaking but Ranboo heard nothing clearly. Another muffled noise caught his attention and his eyes flicked to the source and saw Sapnap leaning over Tubbo trying to speak to him. Ranboo didn't know what he was saying but managed to open his mouth despite it feeling sewed shut.

"They went that way," He whispered and raised a shaking hand toward the door. Sapnap followed his finger and looked to the door before cursing under his breath and running for the door as well. The hybrid felt hands on his shoulder and tried to focus on them as he fought to get his breathing under control and gather his bearings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is why we can't have nice things....
> 
> Anyways! How'd you like it! Feel free to scream at me in the comments! Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! :)


	9. Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit early but I'm running low on motivation for more chapters and thought, what better way to get more motivation than to torture you guys with angst! :D
> 
> Also another TW for possibly more panic attacks! Stay safe!

_ It's dark. _

_ No, he just can't see.  _

_ He needs to open his eyes. It's dangerous. He shouldn't be lying on the ground like this. _

_ His head hurts. _

_ Why? _

_ Why does it hurt? What happened? _

_ He can't remember. _

**_ I _ ** _ can't remember. _

_ IcantrememberIcantrememberIcantremember _

_ Why can't I remember...? _

_ He opens his eyes and is met with the sight of the trees covering him from the night sky. He doesn't know where he is but he doesn't feel safe and that must be bad. _

_ Right..? _

_ He rolls to his side and winces at the pain that flares up in his torso at the sudden action. He gasps at the pain and struggles to keep himself from faceplanting into the grass below. He manages to shakily hold himself by his elbows and looks around slowly when he hears it. _

_ Footsteps. _

_ His body tenses with fear. He knows he needs to move, run, to hide from whatever threat is approaching but his body won't listen. He can't move. _

_ The footsteps near closer and he can't do anything as the figure walks toward him, only stopping just above him. He can't see them for a moment as their silhouette covers the dim moonlight. He squints in the dark at them and waits for his eyes to adjust with bated breath. He realizes quickly how close they are just as he's able to make out a few key features. With labored breathing he manages to shove them away giving himself enough time to scramble to his feet and dart through the forest. _

_ He runs. He keeps running, for how long he doesn't know. He's vaguely aware of pushing himself through some purple mass and the heat, unbearable heat that tugs at his bones and threatens to take him under.  _

_ He keeps running. He runs until the air is cool again. There isn't anywhere to hide to he rushes into yet another treeline and blends into the forestry. He knows he still isn't safe but collapses anyway. He heaves in the air as if it's his first time breathing in the substance.  _

_ His head hurts. It hurts so much. His arms wrap around his middle once again hissing at the pain around that area. _

_ It's silent but he can still hear the person's footsteps. He's terrified. He can't remember being this scared of something. His fear doubles when realizes again he can't remember anything. The footsteps come closer and his head snaps up, coming eye to eye with the same figure. He's not sure if he's seen anything like it but he knows somehow it wants him dead. _

_ It comes closer and he runs with only the brief flash of orange in the corner of his eye to tell him he narrowly escaped what could have been an untimely death. _

* * *

Dream didn't care where he ran only knowing he needed to get away and fast. After escaping the house he darted down the path pushing past a few people in the way. He didn't both looking at them knowing already he wouldn't remember him. His eyes scanned over his surroundings realizing despite the many buildings there wasn't much cover. So, he ran to the only place he found he could trust so far.

The forest.

It was one of the few things that felt vaguely familiar and safe to him despite the obvious dangers of nature. Maybe it was the way the wind caressed his lithe form as he bounded through the trees or how the shade provided from the foliage helped him blend in. It could've been how easy it was to fly through the branches or how his body responded naturally even without his memories or experience.

Dream eventually calmed down enough and dropped to the ground soundlessly. The area was silent aside from the various sounds of nature and the man's heavy breathing. Dream fell to his knees and barely managed to hold himself up on his hands. His arms shook and his breathing picked up in speed as his thoughts caught up to him once again.

The fox, Fundy he believed he was called, had advanced on him and all coherent thought was thrown out the window. Dream didn't know who the hybrid was but if his memory was anything to go by he didn't harbor any goodwill toward the masked man and shouldn't be trusted.

But that didn't make any sense. Dream shook his head and moved to lean back against the tree behind him, his head fell back onto the wood with a dull thud. Tommy greeted him with open arms and Ranboo seemed to be friendly towards him and the other male he arrived with as well.

They trusted him.

Dream shivered as the hybrid's impassive expression invaded his mind again. For just a moment, he felt pinned to the ground again but managed to shake the feeling off enough to gather his thoughts once more. 

Maybe he was missing something. But what? And how would he know what was missing? The young man groaned in annoyance and buried his face in his hands. The empty feeling was back again and he hated it more than ever. Dream moved his mind back to what he did remember.

He remembered yelling just before he panicked. He believed it was the other man who began shouting at him but couldn't quite remember what he'd said. His mind had been muddled with fear and confusion after the newly recovered memory invaded his mind so everything was a frantic blur of only emotions and vague images. All Dream could remember clear enough was the fox approaching him again in the house. 

Dream had tried to think rationally and wait out his options wondering if it was safe or not since Tommy hadn't looked the least bit worried but his instinct had won out in the end. The male sighed and let his hands fall into his lap and kept his head bowed as he gazed tiredly at the grass below him.

His head hurt. That seemed to be becoming a reoccurring theme as of late he mused with a small smile that quickly fell as a shout rang out nearby. He jumped up and peered around the trunk he'd been leaning on and scanned the area. A flash of white caught his attention and he ducked behind the tree again with his lips pressed into a thin line. The voice shouted again and was close enough for him to make out what they were saying this time.

"Dream! Come on, big guy!"

It was Tommy. Dream felt his shoulders sag in relief, he didn't know what he'd do if it was one of the others who came looking for him. He knew Tubbo and Tommy had both told him they only wanted to help but he had been skeptical of that as well in the beginning. He wanted to trust them, just thinking about recovering his memories alone made his stomach go sour.

"Dream! It's alright, man!" Dream raised a brow at the new voice and peered around the tree again noting how Tommy and the other person were closer. The dirty blonde sighed heavily again and rested his head on the tree trunk as the footsteps neared. He heard one of them say something before the footsteps picked up again and approached slowly.

Soon enough, Tommy's blonde head peeked out in the corner of his vision. Dream faced the teen to signal he was conscious behind the mask. Tommy sighed loudly and lowered himself onto the ground out of arm's reach.

He was being cautious of him, Dream noted mentally.

Tommy didn't say anything for a while and Dream appreciated the small moment of silence while he could. He looked up to the sky and took notice of the sun's rays beautifully raining down through the many leaves on the trees covering them, he lowered his gaze once more and stared at the younger waiting for him to speak up. Tommy ran a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply through his nose before raising his eyes again.

"You okay?" He inquired slowly and Dream would've laughed at his doubtful tone if he could've but instead raised a brow. He realized after a moment that Tommy couldn't see it and shrugged silently. "What happened back there?" Tommy rested his chin on his palm and tilted his head to the side. Dream looked away and seemed to tense up all over again. "You remember something?" Dream nodded mutely. Tommy nodded to himself and leaned back on his hands but kept his gaze on the older. "It have something to do with, Fundy?" Dream flinched and that was all the answer Tommy needed. The blonde frowned deeply and didn't say anything for a while.

"What..." Tommy looked up and sighed before he licked his lips nervously and looked back to Dream. "What exactly did you remember...?" Dream didn't raise his gaze but eventually opened his mouth.

* * *

"I was on the ground..." Sapnap's eyes narrowed at the soft tone. He hadn't heard Dream talk like that in a long time. The raven-haired teen fought to keep himself where he stood. It'd been hard to believe at first but now he could see Dream trusted Tommy the most out of everyone here.

"Do you know why?" He heard Tommy ask. The older teen was amazed at how easily Tommy was handling the situation but he chalked it up to him being the one who found Dream first.

"Not really..." Dream muttered and there was some shifting as one of them moved slightly. "My head hurt a lot and I was scared for some reason," He continued. A part of Sapnap felt saddened at Dream's words. Just what had happened? He was sure he was repeating the same question everyone had on their tongues. It hurt hearing his friend talk in such a tone. The Dream he knew was strong and a bit prideful at times. He was the complete opposite of what Sapnap was hearing at that moment.

"Do you think it was right after you got hurt?" Tommy's voice sounded off again.

"Possibly..." Dream mumbled. "I think I was running from something. I kept telling myself I needed to hide and get away but I couldn't move,"

"Was something holding you down?" Dream didn't reply right away so Sapnap wasn't sure if he nodded or shook his head in answer.

"I was scared..." Dream voice was almost too quiet to hear. "I realized I couldn't remember why I was there or what had happened to me. My head felt like it was tearing itself apart trying to remember. It hurt so much..." Sapnap felt his eyes burning as the words filtered through his dumbstruck brain. 

Now he understood what Tubbo had meant.

"Someone was coming though," The masked man continued. "I could hear their footsteps coming closer until they finally stood over me and I saw them..." Dream trailed off and all was silent for a tense moment.

"Was it Fundy...?" Came Tommy's hesitant inquiry and Sapnap felt his blood boil as his mind began to put the pieces together. Was it Fundy who caused this? He heard Tommy gasp quietly and bit the inside of his cheek to try and ground himself before he did something he might regret. Taking a steadying breath Sapnap crept closer until he could see Tommy fully and the back of Dream's head.

"I'm not sure if he's the one who hurt me but I think he might have been there when it happened..." Dream confessed in that soft tone that Sapnap knew he would never get used to. Tommy nodded slowly as he took in the other's words.

"Alright..." Tommy said in a near-whisper and Dream looked down. "I think we should head back for now," The blonde stood and dusted off his pants before extending a hand to the older who took it after a moment of consideration. "We'll have to talk to Fundy about this as well," Dream's shoulders hunched at the name, and Tommy smiled reassuringly catching Sapnap off guard as he watched. "Don't you worry, big man. I've got your back," Dream relaxed exponentially and turned as Tommy moved to walk around him. Blue eyes widened before he smacked himself on the forehead with an annoyed huff as he caught Sapnap's eye. Dream watched the two warily but seemed relaxed enough for the most part seeming to have heard Sapnap while they'd been calling for him.

"Is he okay?" Sapnap asked earnestly, forcing down his earlier torrent of emotions. Tommy's gaze softened and he looked over his shoulder at Dream. Dream looked between the two of them once more before his gaze seemed to settle on Sapnap finally and he nodded curtly, clearly uncomfortable.

And that might have been what broke finally broke Sapnap.

Dream had hurt him but Sapnap was sure he'd hurt the other as well. He hadn't bothered to hear the other out or ask for his reasons. He'd been so quick to anger and didn't bother being careful with what he did or said. Having been so used to Dream being his impulse control he'd snapped and left before he could even consider having second thoughts.

But because he'd left him, Dream had been hurt.

He'd been alone and nearly died and Sapnap had only himself to blame. And now, seeing Dream like this, hurt, scared, and so worryingly vulnerable was like a slap to the face. A wake-up call, if you will. It was then, he'd made his final decision.

Sapnap nodded quickly and turned just as his tears overflowed. He made his way through the trees only listening for the other to follow so they couldn't see the tears flowing down his cheeks.

He'd be there for Dream this time. Or he'd die trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So on a scale of one to ten how badly would you rate your pain? :)
> 
> I personally really like this chapter mainly because I realized that despite this being a Dream-Centric fic I haven't really done much in his perspective. Also- memory stuff! YAY! 
> 
> Something I thought I should mention, mainly because I've been reading other fics that talk about this kinda thing and it's got me thinking a lot. As much of a Dream apologist as I am, I really want to express that I do not wish to condone the things his character has done. A lot of it is downright wrong. But what this story will focus on as it progresses is Dream realizing that and trying to fix his mistakes and mend his broken relationships. Sorta like a redemption fic, but not without him realizing the things he's done were super bad and he can't just ignore them, he had to own up to them.
> 
> Of course, I'm writing this with only the CC personas, not their actual selves. I'm sure it was obvious but I just wanted to get that out!
> 
> Thanks again for all the support for this fic and do please leave a comment if you enjoyed or have theories! (Comment Gang you know I love ya!) I work really hard on these chapters and they take quiet a bit of time to make sometimes where as it probably doesn't take very long to read them. They also give me tons of motivation and help let me know what I can add to please the audience more! So, if you wouldn't mind leaving a comment I'd appreciate it so much! :)
> 
> Sorry for the long author's note and thanks again for reading! ^-^


	10. Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one isn't my best but I love it the same. I hope you guys enjoy!

"What the hell was that?" Quackity asked with a small huff as he stared at the still-open door.

George followed his gaze while biting his lip and hugged his middle. When they'd arrived at the scene he could sense the fear as clear as the oxygen surrounding them. Ranboo had been panicked for a reason unknown to them until Sapnap had demanded to Fundy and Quackity where Dream was. The hybrid shakily told them he'd run out the door and then the raven-haired teen was gone. George was grateful, he didn't think he'd been able to face their friend.

Not after what he'd done.

"That's what we'd like to know as well," Tubbo answered, glancing over his shoulders at the other two men. Fundy's ears lowered and he looked away rubbing at his arms prompting the others' attention to divert to him. Tubbo lowered himself to the ground and sat next to Ranboo who leaned heavily on him with lidded eyes that stared ahead at nothing. George shot the taller a concerned glance to which Tubbo replied with a reassuring smile and dismissive wave of his hand for his friend. The president returned his gaze to Fundy and the hybrid looked about ready to crumble under their stares.

"Fundy, what the hell's going on, man?" Quackity asked in a surprisingly quiet tone. The fox sighed heavily and closed his eyes for a moment. They reopened and he looked to the floor.

"He remembered something," Fundy stated and the beanie-clad man scoffed.

"Yeah, no shit. That doesn't explain why he bolted like a fucking rabbit," He returned with a gesture to the door. "Surprised he didn't tear the door off when he left,"

"What did he remember?" Tubbo cut off the other before he could continue.

"He didn't say," Fundy answered with a conflicted expression. George frowned and glanced at the door again.

"He was scared," The brunette spoke up, startling the others. George gripped his arms in an almost bruising grip but he let the pain ground him. "He wouldn't have run otherwise," He told them. "What set him off?"

"He saw Fundy," Ranboo's voice croaked out softly. The older snapped his eyes to the seated hybrid and waited for him to elaborate. Tubbo looked at the other with a worried frown but Ranboo continued despite his obvious exhaustion. "I was watching him the whole time..." He mumbled and blinked slowly. "He was pretty nervous when he heard them but he got all...," He licked his lips and hesitated. "Tense," He decided on and continued gradually. "When they walked in, he stood up and looked..."

"Ready to fight?" Quackity supplied and the other nodded with a small hum.

"He looked like he was expecting some kind of attack..."

"He felt threatened," George summarized, and Ranboo nodded again causing the older to frown.

"I scared him..." Fundy muttered and clenched his fists.

"He wouldn't have reacted that way unless he remembered something involving Fundy specifically," Tubbo pointed out, and George narrowed his eyes before looking at Fundy.

"Fundy did you..." Quackity trailed off with an astonished expression. "Did you do something...?" Fundy's form went rigid and his eyes narrowed as he met the other's eyes.

"No," He denied hotly and looked in George's direction next. "I'm not the one who did anything," The fox spat.

"Let's not talk about this now," Tubbo advised, noticing the tensions quickly rising and raised his hands in a placating gesture from where he still sat while glancing worriedly at Ranboo. The hybrid nodded silently in agreement, his heterochromia eyes flitting between the older males. Quackity looked reluctant by agreed but nodded reluctantly all the same. George cast another look to Fundy but sighed heavily and looked to the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

They waited in tense silence for Tommy and Sapnap to return. Tubbo briefly wondered where Ghostbur had gone during all the chaos but quickly pushed that thought aside knowing the ghost often wandered off but always came back sooner or later.

After a few more minutes Ranboo seemed collected enough to lift his head from atop Tubbo's and sat up straighter. The shorter smiled at him and Ranboo shakily returned it before looking around the room. The fragile peace was shattered as footsteps stopped in the doorway catching their attention. Scrambling to their feet the teens looked to the door and were met with the gaze of a silently fuming Sapnap. Tubbo opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the older teen storming over towards Fundy and gripping the front of the fox's shirt.

"I swear if I find out you're the asshole who did this to him-"

"I didn't do anything," the fox cut him off loudly and shoved him away by the shoulders.

"Bullshit!" He spat and advanced again but was stopped by George. The brunette wordlessly stared up at him, taking notice of the slight redness of the younger's eyes.

"Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere," George told him sternly and the other bristled at his words but otherwise didn't argue. Sapnap scoffed and looked away with narrowed eyes. George's eyes stayed focused on his friend for a moment before he glanced at the door while rubbing his arm. "Where is he, Sapnap?" He asked quietly. The younger's shoulder's sagged at the question and his glare was directed to the floor while his hands clenched into fists at his sides. George waited in anticipation for the other's answer, afraid if he prompted him to speak too soon he'd blow up at him as he did a few seconds prior.

"He's with Tommy right now, we met up with Ghostbur on the way back so they're helping him calm down," He mumbled in reply and closed his eyes tightly as he tried in vain to put a lid on his emotions. He never was good at that, he mused to himself and exhaled sharply through his mouth. George sighed heavily as his shoulders drooped in an equal manner to the other's. The brunette approached the taller and placed a consoling hand on his arm causing the other to side-eye him. George took notice of the glassy sheen in Sapnap's eyes and frowned to himself. He shot Tubbo a look to which the teen replied with a nod, allowing George to pull Sapnap along out the door. He wasn't met with much resistance which only proved to worry him more.

He finally stopped just shy of the wooden path in the grass of Tubbo's front yard. The British man turned to face Sapnap with a deep frown and the taller stared back at him with watery eyes. George didn't say anything knowing that the younger would speak on his own given time. Sure enough, he opened his mouth and tried to utter his thoughts. When he repeated this action a few more times George stepped closer and placed his hands on both of Sapnap's shoulders. The touch grounded both of them and the taller of the pair took a deep breath.

"He was scared of me, George," He whispered. George didn't respond and let the other try to continue. "He was hiding in the forest and it was..." Sapnap brought a hand up to cover his eyes as a shaky breath left his mouth. "It was like when we were kids, and I just-" He breathed in deeply again. "I left him, George," Sapnap muttered and the other felt his heart stutter in his chest as the words filtered through his brain. "I left him and now he's hurt and I don't know what to do,"

George couldn't speak. Words seemed to fail him in every aspect, his throat felt as if it was closing up the longer he stared at the other. Waves of unabashed guilt crashed over his heart and threatened to drown his soul in their murky waters.

"We left him, George!" Sapnap exclaimed and took a step back causing George's arms to fall limp at his sides as he gazed sadly up at the crying male. "We should've pushed more, asked him to explain even! But we didn't!" Sapnap raved onward waving his hands in wild gestures. "We weren't there for him and thanks to that, he nearly died!" George flinched violently at those words but the action went unnoticed by the upset teen. Sapnap groaned loudly and gripped his hair within his hands.

" _He_ left _us_ ," George replied weakly and Sapnap's eyes snapped upward to meet his with a disbelieving expression on his face. George hated himself for saying that but they couldn't overlook what had happened- he couldn't overlook it. "Sapnap, he left us behind. _You_ were the one who told me he didn't care about us anymore!" George exclaimed and gestured to the taller in exasperation.

"Don't you think I know that!" The younger roared in response and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes roughly. "Yes, he left us! But that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't pushed him away! We were supposed to back him up!"

"Sapnap, you're letting your guilt get the better of you! We couldn't have stood for what he was doing, it wasn't right!" George tried to reason despite that his mind was producing the same thoughts as his friend.

"That isn't the point!" The raven-haired male retorted. "We were family, George! A family's supposed to stick together! We were supposed to stick together!" He yelled as tears collected in his eyes once more.

"Then, why didn't we?!" George screamed back causing the younger to flinch at his sudden spike in volume. George took a step forward causing the other to take one back in turn. "Why didn't we stay together?! We did we have to fall apart!?" He cried and roughly pushed his goggles up onto his head revealing his teary eyes. "Where did it all go wrong?" He sobbed. Normally he'd be ashamed of his sudden bout of tears but couldn't find it in himself to care all that much at the moment. Sapnap watched with a stunned expression as the brunette continued to cry freely.

He felt ashamed of himself. Here he was spouting off his problems and selfishly pulling George along for the ride as well. Sapnap knew what he did wrong, he'd left Dream and because of that, his friend got hurt. He had no one to blame but himself and including George into the equation like this was unreasonable. He wanted to punch himself for bringing the other into such a state.

Sapnap slowly closed up the space between them and pulled the smaller male into his chest. George stiffened at the contact but soon enough melted into the embrace and clutched onto the front of Sapnap's shirt like a lifeline. The brunette continued to sob into his shoulder but Sapnap paid no mind to the growing dampness of his clothing and instead focused on supporting the other as best as he could.

Once George's cries simmered down to small hiccups Sapnap pulled away slowly and looked down at his friend. George's brown eyes stayed pointed at the ground but the other could still see how red and swollen they'd gotten from his breakdown. He sighed heavily and gently grabbed onto George's arm before pulling back onto the wooden path. The other made a small questioning noise in the back of his throat as they walked away from Tubbo's house.

"We're going back home for now," Sapnap answered with a short glance back at the other. George opened his mouth to reply but Sapnap spoke up again before he could speak. "We can figure out what we're gonna do about Dream once you get some rest," George looked back to the ground with shame bubbling in his stomach but let himself be dragged along the Prime Path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say that I love Ranboo? Fun Fact: He wasn't originally going to be in this fic much because i didn't know much about him but as of late he has now become one of favorites! lol
> 
> Don't hesitate to leave a comment and tell me how I did!


	11. Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!
> 
> I don't wanna talk about recent events... my brain is scrambled so you guys are lucky to get this chapter lmao

Dream wasn't seen much after the entire incident, Tubbo and Tommy being the main ones watching over him. The masked man stayed at Tubbo's house afterward, the young teen saying something about how he rarely made it home to sleep there anyway. Both Tommy and Dream had shared a worried look at his words but didn't ask questions.

Tommy ended up taking residence in his old home soon enough which left Dream alone more often than not. The man didn't complain though as much as being left with his thoughts wasn't what he'd call pleasant. He didn't leave the house often but whenever he could someone always accompanied him. He'd be annoyed if it wasn't for the fact that he was rather nervous about walking around alone as well.

The others seemed on edge no matter how subtle they tried to be. It worried Dream and made him feel bad as he suspected it was most likely because of his predicament. Ranboo had been the one to sheepishly admit his assumptions to be true on his latest visit. The teen hybrid had been one of the rare visitors he got normally.

Dream had grown to enjoy Ranboo's company. The younger was easy to talk to once he got over his studdering first words at the start of each of their conversations. Ranboo also seemed keen on trying to implant some helpful advice in any way he could. On his third visit, he'd brought Dream a blank notebook.

Ranboo stated that he used one as well to keep track of things he knew would slip his mind later on. He'd told Dream that maybe he could use it a little differently and jot down any memories that came to him throughout his stay in L'manburg. The older didn't know how he could express his gratitude and told the other such, eliciting a flustered reply.

Dream sighed to himself and closed the book before leaning back in his chair with another deep exhale. He glanced out the window and debated if it was worth going out today or not. Neither Tommy nor Tubbo had come to visit him today so he had no idea where they could be and didn't think it would be wise to go look for them. But surely a quick walk to stretch his legs wouldn't hurt, right? He could just avoid anyone he ends up coming across. No problem, right?

Mind made up, Dream pushed his chair back and stood from it. He looked down at the book still on the table with a thoughtful frown playing on his features. He didn't have a place to put it but didn't want to leave it out anywhere. Dream eventually decided to take it with him and stuffed it into the pocket of his hoodie before making his way towards the front of the house. 

He reached for the doorknob but hesitated to touch it. A part of him still didn't trust the idea of going outside, a voice whispered to him of constant threats that could be out there. He shook his head and twisted the knob.

The masked man peeked outside and looked both ways. He didn't see anyone and let loose a small sigh of relief as he slipped out of the house and quietly closed the door behind him. He wasn't in the mood to deal with visitors anyways, he'd been feeling rather overwhelmed ever since coming here and had yet to properly sort through his thoughts.

Dream began to hum a random tune as he moved along the buildings, he chose to avoid the main path knowing it would be just asking for confrontation. After the first instance dealing with that Dream definitely knew he didn't want to deal with something like that again anytime soon.

His thoughts began to wander and he unconsciously hopped over a stray log in his way. It all slipped by him in the heat of the moment but the little things seemed to have turned into glaring red flags and wouldn't leave him alone. Why did Tommy try to give him his armor when he'd first found him? Why did Quackity react so violently when he saw him? Who was that other person that came for him with Tommy?

Dream groaned lowly and threw his head back in frustration. He could feel the telltale signs of a migraine making its happy entrance in his head and felt his annoyance grow. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes Dream focused on where he was and what he was doing.

He reopened his eyes and looked around in search of something to capture his attention. He'd walked quite a bit during his mind trip and was now in an unfamiliar area. Green eyes roved over the trees and stone steps that were not that far away from where he stood but another building caught his attention.

Dream took a curious step closer and walked carefully until he approached a fence that blocked off the edge of a small pond. With his eyes wide behind his mask, Dream stared at the homely building that sat in the center of the body of water. He took in the comforting aura that surrounded the bricks and planks of wood that held it together. An unknown ache in his chest prompted him to clutch at the fabric of his sweater that covered it.

He couldn't look away. Something forced him to stare and take in every crack and corner he could see from where he stood. He could hear laughter as he gazed at the window plants and felt his heart warm with a sudden bout of love as his eyes fell upon the front entrance.

Without much thought behind his actions, Dream moved slowly toward the wooden path and stopped short underneath the wooden arch that stood over the start of the bridge. His hand clenched tighter around his hoodie as the feeling grew to a near overwhelming degree. It was strange, these emotions didn't feel like his own. He didn't know where they were coming from or why he was feeling them. They flooded his senses and mind like a high tide wave and leave him with so many questions he could barely keep up with them much less figure out how to ask them.

The door opening broke him from his reverie and panic quickly replaced the strange contentment. Dream stumbled backward and hit something behind him causing his panic to delve deeper into fear and whirled around to see what it was. He was greeted with the sight of Ranboo nervously holding his hands in a placating gesture, the tall hybrid's mouth was moving but Dream couldn't make out anything he tried to say. Dream backed away from the teen and stared up at him with his hidden eyes blown wide. Ranboo stepped forward again but Dream stayed still this time and paid attention to the motions his hands kept doing. The other gestured to his chest and puffed it out before letting loose a big sigh and letting his hands fall along with the motion.

Ranboo repeated the motions while muttering words of encouragement and worriedly glancing over Dream's head to the two men that stood in the center of the bridge. He'd been walking along to see if there were spare supplies in the community house and definitely wasn't expecting to see Dream out by himself.

Dream seemed to be catching onto what Ranboo was trying to convey and gulped in deep gasps of air before trying to steady his breathing. Ranboo raised a shaky hand and placed it onto Dream's shoulder, luckily the older didn't react badly and was easily led away by Ranboo. The enderman hybrid gently nudged the other back the way he'd come and continued mumbling what he hoped to be reassuring words to him. Dream continued to breathe deeply, still unable to make out his surroundings.

He slowly became aware of the thin hand on his shoulder and the trembling tone of its owner's voice as they murmured hurried comforts into his ear. He glanced up and took in Ranboo's worried expression as he met his gaze unknowingly, the hybrid averted his eyes and looked ahead as he continued to lead Dream along. His hand slipped from his shoulder and gripped gently around his wrists giving Dream the choice to pull away or not. The older male allowed himself to be led away but cast a lingering glance behind him.

Dream breath caught in his throat once more and he nearly was beginning to regret leaving Tubbo's house if this was something that was bound to happen to him every time.

A set of brown eyes next to another pair the shade of charcoal stared at him in silent surprise. Dream's free hand quickly rose to clutch at his head the longer he held their gaze. A tug on his hand brought him out of his stunned silence and he turned to look back up at Ranboo. The taller gazed down at him with a deep frown and continued to pull Dream along.

* * *

_ He looks back at his friends with a large grin playing on his barely seen mouth. They stare back at him with matching excited expressions and he can't help laughing at them before he turns a facing the empty portal frame. He raises both hands so his palms face the frame and takes a deep breath. _

_ He hesitates. _

_ What if it doesn't work? What if he's too weak and it fails halfway through? _

_ Two hands find their home atop his shoulders and ground him from his inner turmoil. He looks at both of them and smiles gratefully at their reassuring stares. _

_ "You got this, man," One of them says and the other hums in agreement as he nods to his words. _

_ "We'll be right here the whole time," He adds to the younger's encouragement. _

_ Tears build up in the corner of his eyes but he wills them away as he closes them once more and takes another deep breath. He empties his mind of all his insecurities and focuses solely on his goal. _

_ He takes a step towards the portal and the other two follow. One of them squeezes his shoulder and he wants to lean into the touch but forces himself to move his attention back to the portal again. His skin comes in contact with the cool metal and he feels the dull spark of budding life within the empty portal. He reaches out tentatively towards the small spark and it suddenly swells under the energy his power fills it with. _

_ The spark wraps around his soul and  _ pulls _. He gasps in surprise at the spark transform into an inferno is energy and life and comes close to exploding but he tries to contain it. He scrambles to hold it tight but its light leaks through his fingers like sand and pools at his feet. _

_ The spark flows down in trails leaving rivers and mountains in its wake. From its trails biomes of all kinds formed and animals emerged from its smoke. He watches in amazement and pushes energy into the spark allowing its steady trickle to transform into a raging wave that erupts from his hands.  _

_ A firework's display showers the dark expanse and gives it the light of a new sun and splatters stars to accompany the moon in the empty spaces it couldn't fully reach. _

_ He watches in awe as the spark is fueled by his power and creates a world right before his eyes. Once the spark's painting was finished it lowers itself towards him and lifts him off his feet before enveloping him entirely within its warmth.  _

_ The spark whispers to him and holds him close. He listens closely to its words and hears as it tells him its name. _

_ It was his  _ world _. _

_ His lifeblood, and extension of his being. _

_ He lets it hold him close. It cradles him as if he was a child and he falls limp within its hold. His eyes close as exhaustion sets in and his body shuts down. The spark lowers him and he's placed into a cool liquid that soothes his weary bones and the sunlight drapes over him like a warm blanket. He watches as it leaves him behind and quickly disperses within the code and life of the world- _ his _ world. _

_ Just before his eyes shut again he hears twin shouts of his name and feels himself be held again. His eyes close and he falls under as the two pairs of hands fuss over his slumbering form. _

_ It isn't until a long while does he finally rises and realizes he's been laid upon a bed. Groaning and wiping the sleep from his eyes he looks around and sees his mask on his stomach. _

_ He reaches for it but a voice catches his attention before he can put it on. He looks up and smiles wide at his two best friends who laugh and launch themselves at him. _

_ He is held once more. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So not gonna lie my brain is pretty fried. Canon is crazy as hell but that's not gonna stop me! I shall push onward!
> 
> Little reminder that all this is set just a month or so after Tommy considered aliven't in the nether. So that means the worst Dream's done at this point of mentally abuse Tommy during exile.
> 
> THERE WILL BE NO DEATH ON MY WATCH! (unless... jk jk 0-0)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! :) (Smiles scare me now ngl lmao)


End file.
